Monday, December 27, 2010

*Boxing Day Quake. 26.12.10. X Cracked

27.12.10. Christchurch CBD, Dallington focus. Heath St: Still celebrating Christmas we were awake early Boxing Day, 2.07am, when the M4.2 aftershock jolted, shook our Burnside house. Worse would come. We'd experienced thousands of aftershocks since the Sept 4, M7.1 Darfield Quake. Frequency & magnitude of aftershocks had reduced over the last few weeks, but the Boxing Day Quake reminded us more quakes would come.

Boxing Day Quake was caused by the "new" Christchurch Fault running under Christchurch CBD, damaging Cashel Mall. We'd already endured a State of Emergency post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake. The Boxing Day Quake was a WARNING that aftershocks could cause deaths!

Unstable bldgs, damaged in the Sept 4 Darfield Quake & Boxing Day Quake, would stand around for months, some steel mesh fence cordoned, some not. Complacent Heritage hailers still whined about saving lethal, old bldgs. Mayor Parker still jabbered about Cantabrians' "resilience." Authorities boasted about no one dying in the quakes.


27.12.10. Two quake damaged houses, Gardiners Rd, Bishopdale

26.12.10. According to GeoNet, more aftershocks: M3.8, M3.7, M2.7, M3.8 during Boxing Day morn till a M4.9 aftershock again jolted, shook our wooden, rental house, 10.30am. My computer wobbled, my computer seat shook, jiggling me. Pot plant leaves waved. Rushing into our bedroom, I watched Leah gripping our bed till shaking stopped.


27.12.10. Board repaired, quake damaged, house wall, Gardiners Rd, Bishopdale

During the Sept 4 Darfield Quake, months of aftershocks & Boxing Day aftershocks, we'd had no breakages. Although our kitchen cupboard doors were flung open by the Sept 4 Darfield Quake, no crockery nor glassware was broken.

Greers Rd, Sept 4 Darfield Quake: Nearby friend, no house damage. Boxing Day aftershocks: cracked concrete fringe wall around house piles below the house (our rental house had a quake-flexible, wooden plank fringe); cracked concrete paths around the house, paths were separated from the house. I saw that concrete path damage all over Christchurch. Post quakes, there would be lots of ripped up, removed concrete paths, new shingle mulch, new flower beds, garden cracks filled in, re-grassed, disguising quake damage.


27.12.10. Quake damaged house & grey liquefaction sand pile, Gardiners Rd, Bishopdale

Christchurch CBD was again cordoned by CD & cops during Boxing Day for bldg inspections, while we continued our Boxing Day merriment. I picked up Jake & girlfriend from their Waltham Rd flat. Quake damaged bldgs nearby were still as they'd been on Sept 4, rubble lying below bldgs after parapet damages, plastic tape cordoned. The Waltham Rd cordon caused traffic to weave round the cordon. At Burnside, Jake cooked us green mussels for Boxing Day lunch.


27.12.10. Quake cracked, house wall & liquefaction sand by front door, Gardiners Rd, Bishopdale

Riccarton Rd: We shopped at Riccarton Westfield mall, the busiest I'd seen in 15 years. Thousands of mall shoppers weren't put off Boxing Day deals at Westfield, despite whinging by CBD retailers how tough it was to trade after the recession & Christchurch Sept 4 Darfield Quake. CBD retailers whining about tough trading conditions, hoping for NZ National govt & Council handouts, weren't doing enough to clean up their own mess: rubble by broken bldgs, cordons blocking traffic. Slow inspections, assessments, settlements by EQC & insurers aggravated trauma. Did moaners quake-proof their old brick / stone bldgs before the Sept 4 Darfield Quake?


27.12.10. Green & blue tarps, quake damaged bldg, Lichfield St, 4 months post quake

Gardiners Rd: 31C humid afternoon, 2 quake damaged houses, 1 front wall boarded from roof to foundations. Next house, cnr wall cracked & boarded. Grey liquefaction mud heap roadside.

Lichfield St: 1 storey business: green & blue tarps covering a quake peeled, brick wall. Post Sept 4 Darfield Quake, colourful tarps on quake damaged bldgs were no longer a novelty, as plastic tarps looked faded, tatty after 4 months' sun and winds. What a mess: tatty tarps, boards instead of windows & walls, rubble heaps, cordons!

For at least 3 years in post quake Christchurch, I smelt noxious sewage during my trekking. Pre quake Council had habitually pumped sewage into rivers. That unclean, ungreen habit backfired post quakes, as broken water pipes & sewage pipes leaked into Heathcote River & Avon River.


27.12.10. Orange, plastic, road cones. Steel fence cordon. Boxing Day aftershocks damage, brick Community of the Sacred Name, Anglican Convent, Barbadoes St / St Asaph St. The serial quake damaged Convent stood for many months, would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks damage to brick Community of the Sacred Name, Barbadoes St / St Asaph St. Convent would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks damage to brick Community of the Sacred Name & fence, Barbadoes St / St Asaph St. Convent would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake

Barbadoes St / St Asaph St: Old, brick, 2 storey, Community of the Sacred Name, Anglican Convent, had been Sept 4 Darfield Quake damaged. More damaged by Boxing Day aftershocks. Steel fence cordoned. Bricks fell off a gable, damaging a lower roof. More bricks peeled off an upper wall above gable windows, crunching a steel fence, littering the pavement with rubble.

The old, brick Convent would only be demolished post 13.06.11 Quake. Why delay?


27.12.10. Serial quake damaged, brick, Community of the Sacred Name, Anglican Convent, St Asaph St / Barbadoes St. Convent would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Quake damaged, Community of the Sacred Name, St Asaph St / Barbadoes St.  Convent would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake

Diag opp Community of the Sacred Name Convent, a NZ Response Team bloke escorted a bldg inspector, externally checking a Burgundy painted, 1 storey, brick Dojo, next to a 2 storey, green / grey painted, brick bldg, next to steel mesh fence cordoned rubble. The green / grey bldg would soon be demolished.

NZRT weren't visible post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake, due to a hotchpotch of uniforms & Hi-Vis vests, but were more obvious post Boxing Day Quake with red overalls, orange helmets. Rapid bldg inspections of bldg exteriors, for red, yellow or green stickering, were done by engineer bldg inspectors, escorted by NZRT blokes. Later on inspections were made inside bldgs. Rapid external assessments caused confusion about bldg safety. Although trained in search & rescue, NZRT did mainly search & escort. (Reponders, Deb Donnell, Keswin Publishing, Christchurch, 2013).



27.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordon. Quake demolished bldg, Boxing Day aftershocks, yellow, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspector, escorted by red overalled NZRT bloke, Barbadoes St / St Asaph St. Green / grey bldg would be demolished after Boxing Day aftershocks


27.12.10. Quake damaged bldgs, Boxing Day aftershocks bldg inspectors, Barbadoes St. Green / Grey bldg would be demolished after Boxing Day aftershocks


27.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks yellow, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspector, escorted by red overalled NZRT bloke, inspecting quake damaged Barbadoes St bldg. Green / Grey bldg would be demolished after Boxing Day aftershocks


27.12.10. Quake damaged, closed window, Barbadoes St. The bldg would be demolished post Boxing Day quakes


27.12.10. Quake damaged, open window, Barbadoes St. The bldg would be demolished after Boxing Day aftershocks

GeoNet recorded more Boxing Day aftershocks: M3.6, M3.5, M2.9, M3.7, M2.9, M3.7, M3.1, M3.0, M3.2, M3.0, M3.5, then another big M4.4 quake at 0.10am, 27.12.10, followed by M3.0 at 2.01am, 18 aftershocks during 24 hours over Boxing Day. The Press reported more than 20 aftershocks that day. Take your pick. We rode them all.


27.12.10. Undamaged, quake reinforced bldg, opp quake damaged Nurse Maude bldg, shipping container cordon, Madras St / Tuam St. The bldgs would be demolished post 22.02.11 quakes


27.12.10. Cordoned, quake damaged Nurse Maude bldg, Madras St. Nurse Maude would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


27.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, apex car rentals, brick rubble on pavement, steel mesh fence cordoned, Madras St. Apex car rentals would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


27.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, brick parapet, apex car rentals, brick rubble on pavement, steel mesh fence cordoned, Madras St. Apex car rental would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake

Madras St: 2 storey, Apex Car Rental, parapet bricks on pavement; orange, plastic, road cone, steel mesh fence cordoned. Other unstable bldgs, steel mesh fence cordoned. Some, like Nurse Maude, brick 2 storey, had stacked shipping containers protecting traffic from falling debris post Sept 4 Darfield Quake.


27.12.10. Car tow below serial, quake damaged bldg, Lichfield St. The bldgs would be demolished post 2011 quakes


27.12.10. DANGER KEEP OUT. Red, plastic tape, steel mesh fence cordon. Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, brick parapets, Lichfield St lane. Most Lichfield Lanes bldgs would be demolished post 2011 quakes

Lichfield St / Poplar St: 4 storey, where a car was crushed by top storey, falling bricks, during the Sept 4 Darfield Quake, I watched a glaring cop & tow vehicle operator remove another car parked below. Since the Sept 4 Darfield Quake, the bldg owner just had a steel mesh fence cordon on the pavement, obstructing foot traffic. That laissez faire attitude would be fatal in the next big quake, as bldgs had become more unstable during aftershocks.

A Lichfield St Lane: Brick rubble fallen from parapets of a 2 storey & a 3 storey, opp brick bldgs; lane red, plastic taped, DANGER KEEP OUT. Steel mesh cordoned.


27.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, orange, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspector escorted by red overalled NZRT bloke, Cathedral Sq / Colombo St. Bldg would be demolished post 2011 quakes


27.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordon. Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, cordoned X Base, Cathedral Sq. X Base would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


27.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, red sticker, The Press, Cathedral Sq. The Press bldg would be trashed by the 22.02.11 quake & demolished

Cathedral Sq SW cnr: Already cracked parapet above Southern Encounters, looked wobbly. Soon strengthened with wooden boards. Southern Encounters would be demolished post 22.02.11 Killer Quake.

Cathedral Sq NE cnr: Busy, people sunning themselves, shopping, quaffing at pavement cafes watching passersby. New rubble fallen off steel mesh fence cordoned, X Base backpackers, which would be demolished post 22.02.11 Killer Quake. A NZRT bloke in red overalls, escorted an orange Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspector up Colombo St. The Press main door, red sticker, wording too small to read unless close up:

DO NOT APPROACH OR ENTER THIS BUILDING

THIS BUILDING IS A DANGEROUS BUILDING...

USING OR OCCUPYING THIS BUILDING IS AN OFFENCE...

Despite the Boxing Day red sticker, The Press bldg would be occupied during the 22.02.11 Killer Quake, an employee killed there during that quake. Who would make that decision to occupy The Press, after red stickering & 5 months of aftershock warnings? The Press would be demolished post 22.02.11 Killer Quake.


27.12.10. Bus tourists, Cathedral Junction, Cathedral Sq / Worcester St


27.12.10. Uncordoned Cashel Mall towards High St, day after Boxing Day aftershocks. Westpac bldg held up well during the 22.02.11 quake, but would be serial, quake damaged & demolished. Most bldgs in the pic would be demolished post 2011 quakes


27.12.10. The Crossing, Cashel Mall / Colombo St, day after Boxing Day aftershocks. The air bridge, The Crossing left, Ballantynes right, would survive the 2011 quakes


27.12.10. Yellow, Hi-Vis vested cop & cop car. Colombo St & steel mesh fence cordoned Cashel Mall, day after Boxing Day aftershocks. Cashel Mall would be trashed by the 22.02.11 Killer Quake. Ballantynes left & Pagoda Court right would survive the 2011 quakes, but Pagoda Court would be demolished, 2018, for a Kathmandu new build.


27.12.10. Colombo St & cop, steel mesh fence cordoned Cashel Mall, day after Boxing Day aftershocks. Ballantynes left & Pagoda Court right would survive the 2011 quakes, but Pagoda Court would be demolished, 2018, for a Kathmandu new build.


27.12.10. Yellow, Hi-Vis vested cop directing pedestrians, steel mesh fence cordoned Cashel Mall, day after Boxing Day aftershocks. Ballantynes behind would survive the 2011 quakes


27.12.10. Rubberneckers, yellow, Hi-Vis vested cop, steel mesh fence cordoned Cashel Mall, day after Boxing Day aftershocks. Pagoda Court Restaurant bldg behind would be demolished, 2018, for a Kathmandu new build.

Colombo St, High St: Busy traffic, holiday crowds, shoppers. Uncordoned approach to Manchester Courts up Hereford St quiet.

Colombo St / Cashel St, The Crossing: Cashel Mall busy towards High St. The other side of The Crossing: Closed Ballantynes, steel mesh fence cordoned, guarded by a Hi-Vis vested cop & cop car. Citizens banned from Cashel Mall. Several bldgs damaged. A red overalled, NZRT bloke escorted an orange, Hi-Vis vested bldg inspector past Ballantynes. Steel mesh fence cordoned CBD crawled with cops, red overalled NZRT blokes, bldg inspectors.

CD coordination weaknesses became apparent: Hi-Vis vested cops in the CBD? Yes. Hi-Vis vested cops in the suburbs? No. Given lack of cops in quake damaged suburbs, it was obvious cops were short-staffed. Ominous in an emergency when people fled quake damaged homes, enabling looting. As no NZ National govt, State of Emergency was declared, NZDF twiddled thumbs.

Having already endured 4 months of quakes, rubberneckers ignored dangers of hazardous, unstable, CBD bldgs. Post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake, that complacency was condoned by mayor Parker & the media, jabbering about Cantabrians' "resilience".


27.12.10. Colombo St N view, The Crossing & Boxing Day aftershocks, steel mesh fence cordon, Cashel Mall. Pagoda Court left would survive the 2011 quakes. Abandoned for years, would be demolished in 2018. Rebuild Kathmandu would replace it


27.12.10. Shoppers & orange, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspector, escorted by red overalled NZRT bloke, steel mesh fence cordoned Ballantynes, Colombo St, day after Boxing Day aftershocks. Ballantynes would survive the 2011 quakes

Tuam St: 2 storey next to 1 storey Team Hutchison Ford, I watched a bloke climb a ladder on a galvanised iron roof to check a brick chimney on the 2 storey, brick parapet cracked, repaired. Next door, 3 storey, parapet cracked too. Common in quake struck Christchurch CBD: Old brick bldgs, rotten brick parapets needing demolition.


27.12.10. Man checking brick chimney, Tuam St, day after Boxing Day aftershocks. Both old 2-3 storey bldgs had cracked brick parapets. The chimney bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


27.12.10. Shuttle bus stop, Moorhouse Ave, day after Boxing Day aftershocks. Old station clock tower, post quake wood braced against aftershocks. The old station clock tower would be damaged by the 22.02.11 quake, despite deep foundations to counter train vibrations. The old station would be demolished

I rode the free, yellow Shuttle bus along Moorhouse Ave, past the old station with its clock tower wood-bandaged against aftershocks. The Shuttle went along Madras St past bldgs I'd already snapped, so I hopped off near Manchester Courts, Manchester St, to snap demolition there. After 2 months of "demolition debate" demolition had proceeded on Manchester Courts: Yellow, Southern Demolition digger parked behind a blue shipping container & steel mesh fence cordon. Post Sept 4 Darfield Quake, businesses around Manchester Courts were in terminal decline. Manchester Courts & several businesses steel mesh fence cordoned, razor wire on top. A NZRT bloke escorted a female, orange, Hi-Vis vested bldg inspector past Manchester Courts, 5 storey mound of demolition rubble, top stairs, going nowhere, silhouetted against blue sky. Another red overalled NZRT bloke escorted an orange, Hi-Vis vested inspector to abandoned Rockshop behind the steel mesh fence cordon. Cars weaved past steel mesh fence cordons. I would give permission to an Auckland Uni student to publish some of my Manchester Courts pics in his Phd dissertation.


27.12.10. Day after Boxing Day aftershocks, orange, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspector, escorted by NZRT bloke, post quake demolished, Manchester Courts, Manchester St





27.12.10. Rubberneckers, post quake demolished, Manchester Courts, Manchester St, day after Boxing Day aftershocks


27.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, razor wire on top of steel mesh fence cordon, post quake demolished, Manchester Courts, Manchester St


27.12.10. Steps going nowhere above post quake demolished, Manchester Courts, Manchester St, day after Boxing Day aftershocks


27.12.10. Day after Boxing Day aftershocks, orange, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspector, escorted by NZRT bloke, by Rockshop & Manchester Courts steel mesh fence cordon, Manchester St. Post 22.02.11 quake, Rockshop would relocate to Hornby


27.12.10. Steps going nowhere above 5 storey, quake demolition mound, Manchester Courts, Manchester St, day after Boxing Day aftershocks. The left bldg would be demolished post 2011 quakes


27.12.10. Manchester Courts, 5 storey demolition mound, Manchester St, day after Boxing day aftershocks. The bldg behind would be demolished post 2011 quakes


27.12.10. Shuttle bus stop, The Crossing, Colombo St / cordoned Cashel Mall, day after Boxing Day aftershocks


27.12.10. Quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged Winnie Bagoes, Colombo St, Victoria Sq. Winnie Bagoes would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake.

I rode the Shuttle bus again going past Victoria St casino. I snapped Winnie Bagoes by Victoria Sq. Bad luck for Winnie Bagoes, as the business had been damaged by the Sept 4 Darfield Quake & Boxing Day aftershocks. It was my last Shuttle bus trip in Christchurch CBD, as the 22.02.11 Killer Quake would stop Shuttle buses forever.

I trekked to Christchurch Basilica, Barbadoes St, to snap damages there. Next door, Music Centre of Christchurch was damaged by the Sept 4 Darfield Quake. Trashed by the Boxing Day Quake. It would be demolished post 13.06.11 Quake. While I coolpixed the Music Centre, a man entered the bldg, ignoring the front door, Council red sticker. He collected books & files inside. Red sticker:

DO NOT APPROACH OR ENTER THIS BUILDING

THIS BUILDING IS A DANGEROUS BUILDING UNDER SECTIONS 121 AND 124 OF THE BUILDING ACT 2004

USING OR OCCUPYING THIS BUILDING IS AN OFFENCE PURSUANT TO S128 OF THE BUILDING ACT 2004

Contact the Christchurch City Council Building Recovery Office for approval of any proposed action to remedy the danger...

Confusion: I'd seen different Council red stickers, different wording, on other quake damaged bldgs, all over Christchurch over the last 5 months. Council red stickers differed from private, engineering firm stickers.


27.12.10. Quake damaged, Roman Catholic, Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Barbadoes St. Unstable domed towers & cathedral structure. Twin towers would collapse in the 22.02.11 quake. The RC Cathedral would be part demolished post 13.06.11 quake. Transept walls & remaining facade would be braced by layered shipping containers


27.12.10. Sept 4 quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St. Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Sept 4 quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, Music Centre of Christchurch facade, steel mesh fence cordoned, Barbadoes St. Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, fallen scaffolding & brick debris, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St. Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordon. Sept 4 quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, back gable, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St. Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordon. Sept 4 quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, back gable, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St. Catholic Cathedral dome behind. Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Blue tarped gables & steel mesh fence cordon. Sept 4 quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, back gables, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St. Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Nor'wester flapping, blue tarp & black plastic covers on Sept 4 quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, back gable, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St. Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake

Barbadoes St: Next to Christchurch Basilica, Music Centre of Christchurch: More damages to brick gables, rubble littering carparks, gardens, front & back of the brick / stone bldg. A mess. Nor'westers had flattened steel mesh cordon fencing. Toppled steel scaffolding had ripped shabby, black plastic off gables. While I snapped, tattered plastic flapped in the hot wind. Creepy feeling again, too close to unstable bldgs.


27.12.10. Brick rubble by steel mesh fence cordon. Nor'wester flapping plastic cover on Sept 4 quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged gable, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St. Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks brick debris, flattened steel mesh fence cordon, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St. Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Brick flattened, steel mesh fence cordon. Sept 4 quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged gable, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St. Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake


27.12.10. Red Sticker, Sept 4 quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St


27.12.10. Sept 4 quake & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, front facade, Music Centre of Christchurch, Barbadoes St. RC Cathedral tower dome behind. The Music Centre would be demolished post 13.06.11 quake

Drove along Ferry Rd to see Sept 4 Darfield Quake trashed, brick bldgs at Woolston. Nothing new: ghost bldgs, long, brown grass, cordon fences, 4 months post Sept 4 Darfield Quake. Despite 4 post quake months, long summer days for demolition work, 1 000s of aftershock warnings, it took authorities, like Council, ages to demolish ghost bldgs.


27.12.10. Council, non residents, no entry sign, seen in Christchurch quake damaged zones, especially riverside areas, like Avonside Dr

Drove along Avonside Dr & Locksley Ave where I'd coolpixed damages weeks before. Blue, white Council threat signs forbade non-residents driving along Avonside & Dallington roads near Avon River: Non-residents are asked not to enter this area... 30 km/h speed limit signs abounded, stopping cars destroying weakened water pipes & sewage pipes.


27.12.10. Quake damaged, Avonside Dr. Steel mesh fence cordoned, orange pump. Concrete block supported, quake tilted, power pole

Avonside Dr, Avon River: Several ghost houses, red stickered, evacuated after liquefaction by the Sept 4 Darfield Quake. Roads, still rutted, bumpy, poor condition, some tarseal strips done. Some lumpy roads were shingle patched. Liquefaction raised manhole, steel lids still obstructed traffic. A steel mesh cordoned pump pumped water.


27.12.10. Grey Superloo, Locksley Ave by Avon River, 4 months post 04.09.10 quake

Four months post Sept 4 Darfield Quake & 1 day post Boxing Day Quake, I drove along Council forgotten quake areas, Dallington & Avonside, portaloos along roads still, quake tilted power poles still supported by big concrete blocks.


27.12.10. Orange pump, orange, plastic, road cone cordoned, grey HireQuip loo. Quake damaged Locksley Ave & housing, 4 months post Sept 4 quake


27.12.10. Locksley Ave quake damage & quake damaged housing, 4 months post Sept 4 quake

Wind scorched grass grew long by Avon River banks. Gale force nor'westers over the past weeks had blown tree branches & leaves in heaps along riverbanks. Avonside Dr, ghost houses I'd snapped weeks before: long grass in gardens.


27.12.10. Unrepaired quake crack, Avon Rowing Club, Kerrs Reach, 4 months post Sept 4 quake. Avon Rowing Club would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


27.12.10. Unrepaired quake cracks, Kerrs Reach rowing clubs carpark, 4 months post Sept 4 quake. Porritt Park behind

Behind Kerrs Reach, ghost rowing clubs: Huge, unrepaired quake cracks in carparks where Union Rowing Club had tilted into quakemire by Avon River bank during the Sept 4 Darfield Quake.


27.12.10. Unrepaired, quake cracks, Kerrs Reach rowing clubs carpark, 4 months post Sept 4 quake

Wainoni Rd, Porritt Park: Ghost hockey fields by an Avon River meander, masses of Sept 4 Darfield Quake quakemire patched grass in Porritt Park.

Locksley Ave by Avon River, Kerrs Reach. Also post Sept 4 Darfield Quake, tarseal patched, grass overgrowing riverside footpaths, unfixed footpath cracks.

Locksley Ave / Gayhurst Rd: Tilted power pole. Sept 4 Darfield Quake tilted, brick ghost house. Overgrown garden. Grey, quakemire in driveway, blocking garage doors. Cracked concrete path pulled away from house. Cracked concrete driveway. The house would be demolished, 2012.


27.12.10. Abandoned, quake tilted house, overgrown garden, Gayhurst Rd / Locksley Ave. The house would be demolished, 2012


27.12.10. Quake tilted house & power pole, Gayhurst Rd / Locksley Ave, The house would be demolished, 2012


27.12.10. Quake tilted house, demolished, 2012, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Orange, plastic, road cones & orange / white, plastic bollard cordon. Quake tilted house, demolished, 2012, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Quake tilted house cnr, demolished, 2012, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Quake tilted house cnr, demolished, 2012, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Abandoned barrow, cnr quake tilted house, demolished, 2012, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Quake cracked, concrete path, pulled from quake tilted house, demolished, 2012, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Quake cracked, concrete path, pulled from quake tilted house, demolished, 2012, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Grey liquefaction sand by garage doors, Gayhurst Rd / Locksley Ave. The house would be demolished, 2012


27.12.10. Quake cracked driveway, grey liquefaction sand by garage & house doors, Locksley Ave. The house would be demolished, 2012

Glenarm Tce near end of Locksley Ave: Ghost houses. Bumpy road not tarsealed in places. A mess. Locksley Ave, ghost houses, cracked driveways, broken garden walls, dry quakemire everywhere.


27.12.10. Quake destroyed, abandoned, steel mesh fence cordoned, St Paul's School, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Demolition, quake damaged, St Paul's School hall roof, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordon. Demolition, quake damaged, St Paul's School hall roof, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordon. Quake damaged, abandoned St Paul's School, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Closed steel mesh fence cordon, yellow digger. Demolition, quake damaged, St Paul's School hall, Gayhurst Rd


27.12.10. Open steel mesh fence cordon, rubberneckers, yellow digger. Demolition, quake damaged, St Paul's School hall, Gayhurst Rd

Gayhurst Rd: Fenced, St Paul's School ghost: Roof tiles stripped, exposing trusses. Yellow digger demolished walls.


27.12.10. Quake damaged, Dallington Tce, orange portaloo, 4 months post Sept 4 quake


27.12.10. ONE WAY. Road repair, yellow pump, orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon, Dallington Tce, 4 months post Sept 4 quake


27.12.10. Overgrown, abandoned St Paul's School, Dallington Tce, 4 months post Sept 4 quake

Dallington Tce & River Rd: Bumpy, cracked, patched with shingle or tarseal. Some houses still had portaloos. Like Avonside Dr, yellow roadside pumps pumped waste water through thick, black, plastic pipes roadside.


27.12.10. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordons around pumps. Unfinished road repairs, Dallington Tce, 4 months post Sept 4 quake

Four months post Sept 4, M7.1 Darfield Quake, many houses along Avonside Dr, Locksley Ave, Dallington Tce & River Rd still used portaloos as Council hadn't fixed sewage & water pipes, messed by the Sept 4 quake. Imagine crapping in a roadside, plastic portaloo all those quake months?


27.12.10. Yellow pump, Avon River bank, Dallington Tce, 4 months post Sept 4 quake

Four months post Sept 4 Darfield Quake, Dallington Tce & River Rd by Avon River still stank of sewage. River Rd was slumped by Sept 4 Darfield Quake, but had been mostly resurfaced, although still lumpy, bumpy.

30.12.10. Cashel Mall again: Three days later, CBD streets were filled with holiday crowds. Cashel Mall, cop cordon gone, The Crossing, steel mesh fence cordon gone. Some old, brick shops, steel mesh fence cordoned, red stickered. 1 storey, Last Train to India shop trashed by parapet bricks fallen onto its roof from next door's 2 storey, brick bldg. Steel gutter hanging from parapet, roofing materials inside trashed shop. Christchurch lucky again, as the quake struck during a public holiday, shops empty. That shop trashing, bricks fallen onto neighbours' roofs, would again happen in the 22.02.11 Killer Quake! Several 2-3 storey, brick bldgs, loose parapets. One 2 storey, brick facade, boarded, wood braced, had a large X crack on the facade. During the next 3 quake years many ghosts would be X cracked. Ballantynes, cracked wall panel above verandah. ASB bank, white, plastic DANGER taped. Many Cashel Mall bldgs would be demolished post 22.02.11 Killer Quake.


30.12.10. Bridge of Remembrance view, post Boxing Day aftershocks Cashel Mall & cordons. Cashel Mall would be trashed by the 22.02.11 quake, most Cashel Mall bldgs would be demolished thereafter


30.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordoned, Boxing Day aftershocks damaged shops, Cashel Mall. Shops would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Cop. Steel mesh fence cordoned, Boxing Day aftershocks, damaged shops, Cashel Mall. Shops would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordoned, Boxing Day aftershocks, roof damaged shops, Cashel Mall. Shops would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks damaged roof, Cashel Mall. Bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, parapet & roof, Cashel Mall. Bldgs would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, roof collapsed into shop, Cashel Mall. Shop would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks damaged parapet, Cashel Mall. Bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, quake tilted shop window, Cashel Mall. Bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Wood braced, quake damaged, brick wall, Cashel Mall, despite quake proofing. Bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, damaged brick facade, Cashel Mall, despite quake proofing. Bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, X cracked, brick facade, Cashel Mall. Bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, shop notice, Cashel Mall


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, damaged bldg, Cashel Mall. Bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, shop inspection stickers, Cashel Mall


30.12.10. Purple hair. Boxing Day aftershocks, damaged bldg, Cashel Mall. Bldgs would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Ballantynes cracked wall panel, Cashel Mall, Boxing Day aftershocks. Ballantynes would survive the Feb 22 quake & continue business after Cashel Mall reopened on 29.10.11, amongst RESTART shipping container shops on demolition sites


30.12.10. White, plastic, tape cordoned ASB Bank, Cashel Mall, Boxing Day aftershocks. Bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks notices, ASB Bank, Cashel Mall. Bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Hereford St, Yorkshire House, steel mesh fence cordoned. Boxing Day aftershocks damaged brick parapet. Bldgs would be demolished post 2011 quakes


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks damaged brick parapet, Yorkshire House, Hereford St. The bldgs would be demolished post 2011 quakes


30.12.10. Orange, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspectors in steel mesh fence cordon, Hereford St, after Boxing Day aftershocks. Monkey Bar bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordon. Orange, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspectors inspect masonry Monkey Bar, Hereford St, after Boxing Day aftershocks. Monkey Bar would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake. Next door, wooden Shands Emporium would survive the quake, owned by the Gough family, it would be moved to Manchester St next to Trinity Church in June 2015


30.12.10. Orange, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspectors & girl in Monkey Bar, steel mesh fence cordon, Hereford St, after Boxing Day aftershocks. Monkey Bar would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, steel mesh fence cordon by Hereford Court, Hereford St. Hereford Court would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Broken windows, Hereford Court, Hereford St, after Boxing Day aftershocks. Hereford Court would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Wendy's Art Deco bldg, Hereford St, after Boxing Day aftershocks. Wendy's would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Wendy's Art Deco eagle, 1929 cornice, quake damaged, Hereford St. Eagle would be toppled by the 22.02.11 quake. Wendy's would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. TSB Bank roof quake damaged, blue tarped, Hereford St. TSB Bank would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Blue tarp, TSB Bank quake damaged roof, Hereford St. TSB Bank would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake

Hereford St: 3 storey Yorkshire House, side brick parapet fallen, bldg steel mesh fence cordoned. Brick 2 storey, Monkey Bar, steel mesh fence cordoned. 2 orange, Hi-Vis vested inspectors checked bldg exterior. Next door, 2 storey Shands Emporium also steel mesh cordoned. Owned by the Gough family, Shands Emporium would be relocated to Manchester St next to Trinity Church, June 2015. 4 storey Hereford Court, broken windows. 4 storey Wendy's 1929 Art Deco cornice cracked. 3 storey TSB, roof damaged, blue tarped, orange, plastic, road cone cordoned.

Like Cashel Mall, we didn't know that parallel section of Hereford St would be trashed by the 22.02.11 Killer Quake. We didn't know that nearby Christ Church Cathedral ghost would be fence cordoned for years. All those bldgs, near Avon River, were built on swampy ground.

Cathedral Sq: Christ Church Cathedral, steel mesh fence cordoned. W facade, gable cross removed. Future quakes would trash Christ Church Cathedral. 3 storey, Southern Encounter, steel mesh fence cordoned, parapet boarded. Cnr Southern Encounter / old PO / Information bldg: 4 orange, Hi-Vis vested blokes chatted to another bloke behind the steel mesh fence cordon.


30.12.10. Christ Church Cathedral, Sept 4 Darfield Quake & Boxing Day Quake damaged, Cathedral Sq. Cathedral tower would be toppled by the 22.02.11 quake. Rose window facade would collapse in the 13.06.11 quake. In Oct 2011, the dean would announce Christ Church Cathedral would be part demolished & repaired. The dean would resign & became a CCC councillor. There would be more W facade damage in the 23.12.11 Xmas quake swarm


30.12.10. Christ Church Cathedral W facade, steel mesh fence cordoned, Boxing Day aftershocks. Crooked cross was removed from gable, Cathedral Sq. The tower would collapse in the 22.02.11 quake. The rose window facade would collapse in the 13.06.11 quake. Christ Church Cathedral western facade would be more damaged in the 23.12.11 Xmas quake swarm


30.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordon. Quake & Boxing Day aftershocks, damaged parapet, boarded, Southern Encounter, Cathedral Sq. Southern Encounter bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Post Boxing Day aftershocks, orange, Hi-Vis vested workmen, cnr old PO Information Centre / Southern Encounter bldg, Cathedral Sq. Southern Encounter bldg would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake

Oxford Tce: Clarendon Tower high rise, steel mesh fence cordoned. Its 3 storey, old facade, cracked parapet. Brick 2 storey, Our City, steel braced side wall, Avon River bank.


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks damaged, steel mesh fence cordoned, Clarendon Tower, Cathedral Sq / Oxford Tce. Clarendon Tower would be demolished after many months closure in the CBD, red zone cordon, post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Boxing Day aftershocks, cracked parapet, Clarendon Tower, Cathedral Sq / Oxford Tce. Clarendon Tower would be demolished post 22.02.11 quake


30.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordon. Sept 4 quake cracked & Boxing Day aftershocks damaged facade & cordon, Clarendon Tower, Cathedral Sq / Oxford Tce. Christ Church Cathedral tower would be toppled by the 22.02.11 quake. Rydges Hotel left would survive the quakes, but would be abandoned for years. 2021. Still abandoned


30.12.10. White, plastic tape, steel mesh fence cordon. Quake damaged, steel braced, Our City bldg, Worcester Blvd / Oxford Tce. After 2011 quakes, Our City would be moth-balled for years. 2021. Restoration would begin

Worcester Blvd: Brick 2 storey: side wall, upper storey peeled off, wood braced, black plastic tarped, steel mesh fence cordoned. 2 storey, greystone Art Centre: turret, blue nylon strapped. 2 yellow, Hi-Vis vested inspectors snapped pics. Words on back of one bldg inspector's yellow, hard hat: IF I RUN KEEP UP WITH ME.


30.12.10. Steel mesh fence cordon. Shabby wood bracing & black plastic cover, quake damaged bldg, Worcester Blvd. Post 22.02.11 quake, shipping container, artisan shops would be installed by the bldg


30.12.10. Post Boxing Day aftershocks, yellow, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspector, quake damaged Arts Centre, Worcester Blvd. The Arts Centre would be damaged by the Feb 22 quake & steel mesh fence cordon closed for years for restoration


30.12.10. Post Boxing Day aftershocks, yellow, Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspectors, Arts Centre, Worcester Blvd


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake River Road, Avon River quake damaged drain. Speed limit 30 km/hr


31.12.10. Tarseal patches on Sept 4 quake cracks, River Road / Lois Pl


31.12.10. Sept 4 quake damaged drain, source of sewage stink, opp River Rd & Lois Pl cnr


31.12.10. Sept 4 quake damaged drain, Avon River, source of sewage stink, River Rd. To date, nearby residents had to endure shit stink 4 months post Sept 4 quake


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, blue portaloo, tarseal patch, Lois Pl, nr Avon River


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, grey portaloo, tarseal patches, Lois Pl, nr Avon River


31.12.10. Grey & brown Superloos, River Rd, Sept 4 quake buckled, Medway St Footbridge, Avon River


31.12.10. Upstream view, Sept 4 quake buckled, Medway St Footbridge, Avon River, between River Rd & Avonside Dr


31.12.10. Concrete block & steel mesh fence cordon. Sept 4 quake buckled, Medway St Footbridge, Avon River, between River Rd & Avonside Dr


31.12.10. River Rd downstream view, Sept 4 quake buckled, Medway St Footbridge, Avon River


31.12.10.  Sept 4 quake buckled concrete curb, River Rd by Avon River

Mid 2009 eighteen months before, I'd walked Avon River banks incl Avonside Dr, Kerrs Reach, New Brighton Rd, Locksley Ave, Dallington Tce, River Rd, idyllic winter views.

31.12.10. Last day of 2010, four months post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake, I returned to snap damages by two Avon River horseshoe meanders, incl River Rd, Dallington Tce, Locksley Ave between Gayhurst Rd & Glenarm Tce. Mid September, I'd coolpixed liquefaction damage to Glenarm Tce & Locksley Ave, last State of Emergency day. I wanted to see rebuild, if any, during midsummer.


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake Dallington Tce view, Canada geese, Avon River bend. Avonside Dr & footpath left, River Rd right


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake pump, steel mesh fence cordons, Dallington Tce, Avon River. Sewage stink from river muck caught in floating pontoon


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake Avon River bend: Dallington Tce view of quake tilted, concrete drain, Avonside Dr bank, with stinking muck floating below drain


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, Avon River bend: Dallington Tce, quake tilted, concrete drain, Avonside Dr bank, with stinking muck floating below drain


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake Dallington Tce pump, steel mesh fence cordon, 30 km/hr speed limit & road repairs


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake pump, orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon, Dallington Tce, Avon River & 30 km/hr speed limit


31.12.10. Orange, plastic, road cones. Post Sept 4 quake, pump & steel mesh fence cordons, Dallington Tce, Avon River


31.12.10. Orange, plastic, road cones. Post Sept 4 quake, pump, steel mesh fence cordons, Dallington Tce, Avon River


31.12.10. Orange, plastic, road cones. Post Sept 4 quake tarseal repair, pump, steel mesh fence cordon, Dallington Tce, Avon River


31.12.10. Post quake kayakers, Avon River, yellow pump, Dallington Tce

On that State of Emergency day, I'd seen trucks carry shingle to fill quake holes along Locksley Ave from Glenarm Tce to Gayhurst Rd. The Glenarm Tce sinkhole had been repaired, tarsealed. Some roads I trekked had been tarseal patched. But, 4 months post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake, as many roadside pumps still pumped crap along Locksley Ave & Dallington Tce beside Avon River, & as roads hadn't all been completely tarsealed, many roadside portaloos too, it was obvious Council hadn't fixed sewage pipes along those roads. Power poles were still tilted, supported by concrete blocks. Traffic was slowed by 30km/h speed limit signs & orange, plastic, road cone detours around pumps & quake raised manholes. Displaced concrete drains & snapped concrete curbs stayed unrepaired. Several Locksley Ave houses had cracked driveways and yellow stickered front windows, inviting snoopers & looters. No Hi-Vis jacketed cops patrolled. Only in the CBD!


31.12.10. Sept 4 quake tilted, power pole, concrete block support. Orange pump, grey, HireQuip loo, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Concrete block supporting Sept 4 quake tilted, power pole. Orange, HireQuip loo, orange pump, Locksley Ave, Avon River


31.12.10. Concrete block supporting Sept 4 quake tilted, power pole. Grey Superloo, quake damaged Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Sept 4 quake damaged house, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, grey Superloo, road signs, Locksley Ave, Avon River


31.12.10. Repaired Locksley Ave / Glenarm Tce. A huge quake hole was on the cnr on the last day of the quake state of emergency, mid Sept 2010


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, 30 km/h speed limit sign, green Superloo, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Sept 4 quake damaged, concrete driveway & house, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Sept 4 quake tilted, power pole. Plastic wrapped chimney. Quake cracked driveway, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, green Superloo & quake damaged house, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Sept 4 quake damaged driveways, house & portaloo, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, yellow, pump pipe, orange, plastic, road cone detours, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, yellow, pump pipe, sign, quake road damage, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, yellow, pump pipe, orange, plastic, road cones, quake road damage, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Sept 4 quake damaged road & house, Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Yellow, pump pipe, Sept 4 quake damaged Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Sept 4 quake damaged Locksley Ave, green portaloo


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, yellow, pump pipe, grey Superloo, quake damaged Locksley Ave


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, orange pump, grey, HireQuip loo, Locksley Ave

04.01.11. Exactly 4 months post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake & aftershocks, The Press reported EQC boss Ian Simpson, "confirmed that assessors were expected to complete six inspections a day..." & said there were "over 400" assessors.

Given tens of thousands of quake insurance assessments still to do, the puny number of assessors & their laughable workload, it would take months for quake damaged properties to be assessed. No wonder quake victims were angry with EQC: Ripped off, waiting months for insurance assessments, caught between EQC & insurers.

The Press 10.01.11 reported that EQC assessors had 3 days' training; worked 10 hrs / day; worked a 6 day contract week, 3 weeks on, 1 week off; pay varying between $500 - $1 000 per day. "More than half of the 240 loss adjusters hired since Canterbury's Sept 4 Darfield Quake are former police officers." What did ex cops know about bldg construction & assessment?


31.12.10. Post Sep 4 quake, orange pump & Avon River kayakers, Locksley Ave

Four months post Sept 4 Darfield Quake, all around Christchurch visual results of slow EQC settlements were evident: shabby, windblown tarps & boards on ghosts; no rebuilds or repairs happening; many wood & metal braced bldgs; unfixed garden walls, fences; many scaffolded bldgs, little repairs / rebuilds happening; unfixed chimneys; unfixed roads, power poles; rubble lying on demolition sites for weeks; empty sites, no rebuilding; ghost houses, overgrown gardens; ghost shops & businesses.

06.01.11. The Press reported that Canterbury had experienced over 4 200 aftershocks post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake. After Boxing Day Quake, Christchurch quakes would roll on & on...


31.12.10. Post Sept 4 quake, WORKS END road sign, Locksley Ave

WORKS END CITY CARE road signs all over Christchurch were ironic, as post 4 Sept Darfield Quake rebuild & road repairs had a long way to go. CITY CARE was a Council business obviously not able to repair quake damaged infrastructure fast enough. Post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, after CERA was formed, CITY CARE would be absorbed as part of NZ National govt controlled SCIRT, responsible for infrastructure repairs.

09.01.11. The News Advertiser headline, "Tagging in suburb the last straw" complained about tagging in Dallington.

11.01.11. "Tagging" article nonsense: I trekked Snell Pl, Halberg St, Landy St, finding much pavement & garden wall damage, with repaired, bumpy roads, but no graffiti. Saw 4 portaloos on Landy St, showing sewage pipes were still unfixed.


11.01.11. Orange, plastic, road cones. Post Sept 4 quake, orange pump, Ferner St / McBratneys Rd crossing

Ferner St, Birchfield Ave: No graffiti, but 2 road pumps pumped deep sinkholes in Ferner St. 4 months post Sept 4 Darfield Quake, road repairs continued at Ferner St.


11.01.11. Quake sinkholes, orange / white, plastic bollard cordon, 4 months post Sept 4 quake, Ferner St

*Trekked Gardiners Rd, Lichfield St, Barbadoes St, Madras St, Cathedral Sq, Cashel Mall, Colombo St, Tuam St, Moorhouse Ave, Manchester St, Avonside Dr, Locksley Ave, Kerrs Reach, Gayhurst Rd, Dallington Tce, Hereford St, Worcester Blvd, River Rd, Lois Pl, Ferner St, Birchfield Ave. 177 snaps.

12.01.11. EQC Report, The Star: "EQC is increasing resources this month and particularly the number of assessors on the ground i.e. loss adjusters and estimators. There are 394 assessors working in the field this week and a total of 1 044 staff including call centre and support staff.

We are currently training more loss adjusters, most of whom are from NZ and expect to have an additional 90 by the end of January."

Although EQC had taken money from home owners for decades, EQC was poorly prepared for Christchurch quakes. EQC created a huge bureaucracy.

11.01.11. Quake sinkholes, orange / white, plastic bollard cordon, Ferner St, 4 months post Sept 4 quake


11.01.11. Orange, plastic, road cone cordon. Quake sinkhole, road repairs, Ferner St, 4 months post Sept 4 quake


11.01.11. Birchfield Ave crossing view, post Sept 4 quake road repairs to Ferner St

EQC's Aussie assessors flocked back to Australia due to Queensland & Brisbane floods needing insurance assessors. Why were Aussie assessors contracted by EQC, taking jobs from Kiwis?


11.01.11. Orange, plastic, road cone cordon. Quake damaged drain, 4 months post Sept 4 quake, Birchfield Ave / Ferner St


11.01.11. Orange, plastic, road cones. Post quake pump, Birchfield Ave, 4 months post Sept 4 quake

"Claims at 11 Jan: 4 September Earthquake 157 524; 19 October Aftershock 2 277; 14 November Aftershock 1 973; 26 December Aftershock 5 365; Total 167 139.

Claims Settlement Status, Tuesday 11 Jan: Claims complete 29 345; Fieldwork complete 23 787; Fieldwork in progress 25 175; Fieldwork not started 88 843..."

So far, only 17.5% claims were completed. At that rate it would take 2 years for claims to be completed. Slow EQC & insurers! The longer insurers hassled claimants by keeping money, the more insurers made for shareholders.

Facebook:

Slept thru a M5.1 quake, 6.03am. Leah woke up. Series of aftershocks since yesterday afternoon, Wed, mostly in the 3 mags, incl M4.0 at 8.06am. Was jolted by a M3.9 aftershock while in Botanic Gdns, 11.10am.

"Experts" expect batches of aftershocks every 4-6 weeks odd, for another year at least. 20 January 3.40pm.

@Sheila, Pam, Averil. 4 500 aftershocks (last night's NZTV news). Leah slept thru a M4.4 quake last night at 2.12am. Thought this Fri morn, I BS her about it. Check GeoNet for tremor updates. 21 January 2.55pm.

@George. Saw workmen on scaffolding checking stained glass windows, some cracked, in Christ Church Cathedral the other day, after Cathedral cordons were removed after recent aftershocks. Usual tourists in the CBD, but repairs are slow due to slow payments by insurers. Lots of tatty tarps, roof scars due to trashed chimneys, boarded up bldgs, cordons, empty demolition sites, lumpy, bumpy half fixed roads, portaloos, pumps by patched riverside suburbs. But little re-building. 23 January 9.35am.

Coda:

Many of the roads & bridges mentioned above would be trashed by the 22.02.11 Killer Quake & 13.06.11 Quake: Christchurch CBD, Avon River suburbs & E suburbs. Thousands of demolitions would happen. Post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, CERA would red zone large tracts of Dallington Tce, Glenarm Tce, Locksley Ave, Gayhurst Rd, Avonside Dr, River Rd, the land, alleged, too quake damaged for repairs. Thus red zoners would be forced to leave & battle NZ National govt / CERA, EQC & insurers for compensation.

Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.