Tomorrow in New Zealand it will be April the 23rd. Two months since this happened:
It was a 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck the Canterbury region in New Zealand's South Island at 12:51 pm on 22 February 2011 local time (23:51 21 February UTC)causing widespread damage and multiple fatalities. The earthquake was centred 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of the town of Lyttelton, and 10 kilometres (6 mi) south-east of the centre of Christchurch, New Zealand's second-most populous city. It followed nearly six months after the 7.1 magnitude 2010 Canterbury earthquake that caused significant damage to the region but no direct fatalities.
The names of 172 victims have been released as of 7 April 2011, with the final death toll expected to be 181, making the earthquake the second-deadliest natural disaster recorded in New Zealand (after the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake). Prime Minister John Key stated that 22 February "may well be New Zealand's darkest day". Nationals from more than 20 countries are among those missing.The New Zealand Government declared a state of national emergency.
The cost of the the earthquake could cost insurers US$12 billion (NZ$16 billion.
This is what the cdb (central business district) looked like a few weeks after the shake...
Dr Maysoon Mahdi Abbas, 61, of Christchurch
Lalaine Collado Agatep, 38, from the Philippines
Dr Husam Sabar Al-Ani, 55, of Christchurch (a NZ citizen from Iraq)
Jane-Marie Alberts, 44, of Christchurch
Mary Louise Anne Bantillo Amantillo, 23, of the Philippines
Jayden Andrews-Howland, 15, of Aranui
Emmabelle Cabahug Anoba, 26, of the Philippines
Marina Arai, 19, of Japan
Linda Isobel Arnold, 57 of Christchurch
Dr Dominic Joseph Gerard Bell, 45 of Christchurch
Valquin Descalsota Bensurto, 23, of the Philippines
Heidi Julie Berg, 36, of Christchurch
Carey Stuart Bird, 48, a NZ citizen resident in Australia
Andrew James Llewellyn Bishop, 33, of Christchurch
Nina Jane Bishop, 32, of Christchurch
Pamela (Pam) Maree Brien, 54, from Christchurch
Melanie Jane Brown, 54, of Christchurch
Rhys Frank Brookbanks, 25, of Christchurch
Henry Ross Bush, 75 of Christchurch
Ivy Jane Cabunilas, 33, of the Philippines
Yu Cai, 31, of China
Ian Neville Caldwell, 47 of Christchurch
Cristiano Carazo-Chandler, 35, of Christchurch
Helen Margaret Chambers, 44 of Christchurch
Yang Chen, 29, from China
John Kristoffer Villegas Chua, 24, of the Philippines
Susan Patricia Chuter, 52 of Christchurch
Stephen Andrew Cochrane, 43, of Bromley
Rachel Elizabeth Conley, 27, of the US
Philip Graeme Reeve Coppeard, 41 of Christchurch
Patrick John Coupe, 46, of Christchurch
Donald Ashby Cowey, 82 of Christchurch
Estelle Marie Cullen, 32 of Christchurch
Andrew Christian Ross Craig, 46, of Christchurch
John Barry Craig, 67, of Christchurch
Dr Tamara Cvetanova, 42, of Serbia, resident in Christchurch
Betty Irene Dickson, 82, of Christchurch
Joanna Clare Didham, 35, of Christchurch
Jennifer Ann Donaldson, 55, of Christchurch
Paul Clarence Dunlop, 67, of Rolleston/Selwyn
Maureen Valerie Fletcher, 75 of Christchurch
Marielle Falardeau, 60, of Canada
Dian Mary Falconer, 54, of Christchurch
Adam Stephen Fisher, 27, of Belfast, Christchurch
Ian Foldesi , 64, of Christchurch
Jewel Jose Francisco, 26, of the Philippines
Samuel Reese Gibb , 27, of Christchurch
Jaime Robert McDowell Gilbert, 22, of Christchurch
Joanne May Giles, 60, of Christchurch
Baxtor Gowland, aged 5 months, of Christchurch
Elizabeth Jane Grant (known as Jane), 51, of Belfast, Christchurch
Natasha Sarah Hadfield, 38, of Kaiapoi
Yuki Hamasaki, 23, from Japan
Xiling Han, 25, from China
Tamara Lia Harca, 59, from Romania, resident in Christchurch
Jayden Harris, aged 8 months, of Christchurch
Yuki Hasumoto, 22, of Japan
Yumika Hata, 29, Japan
Miki Hayasaka, 37,from Japan
Wen He, 25, of China
Jen/Jin Hii, 34, from Malaysia
Marion Isabella McKirdy Hilbers, 49, of Christchurch
Yuko Hirabyashi, 28, from Japan
Yoshiko Hirauchi, 61 of Japan
Christopher Grant Homan, 35, of Christchurch
Amanda Jane Hooper, 30, of Rolleston, Christchurch
Megumi Horita, 19, Japan
Hifumi Hoshiba, 41, from Japan
Siwen Huo , 28, of China
Haruki Hyakuman, 27, Japan
Rika Hyuga, 30, of Japan
Toshiko Imaoka, 34, of Japan
Thanydha Intarangkun, 36, of Thailand
Gabi Ingel, 23, of Israel
Tomoki Ishikuro, 19, of Japan
Kyle Brandon Jack-Midgley, 27, from Christchurch
Man Jin, 26, of China
Kayo Kanamaru , 19, of Japan
Kyoko Kawahata, 20, of Japan
Beverley Faye Kennedy, 60, of Christchurch
Saori Kikuda, 19, of Japan
Yasuhiro Kitagawa, 39, Japan
Chang Lai, 27, of China
Wai Fong Lau, 87 of Christchurch
Hsin Hung Lee, 32, of Taiwan
Normand Lee, 25 of Christchurch
Ofer Levy, 22, of Israel
De Li, 18, of China
Wanju Li, 44, of China
Xia Li, 42, China
Phimphorm Liangchuea, 41, Thailand
Adrienne Isobel Lindsay, 54 of Christchurch
Haruthaya Luangsurapeesakul, 32, of Thailand
Scott William Emerson Lucy, 38, of Timaru
Catherine McNicol Lunney, 62 of Christchurch
Donna Merrie Manning, 43, of Christchurch
Kelly Lynn Maynard, 43, of Christchurch
Philip John McDonald, 57, of Ashburton
Matthew Stuart McEachen, 25, of Christchurch
Owen Thomas McKenna, 40 of Christchurch
Teresa McLean (nee Elms), 40, a NZ Citizen from Great Britain, resident in Kaiapoi
Heather Marilyn Meadows , 66, of Christchurch
Janet Dawn Meller, 58, of Christchurch
Adrienne Meredith, 36, of Christchurch
Ofer Binyamin Mizrahi, 22 of Israel
Kelsey Sinitta Moore, 18 of Christchurch
Emi Murakami, 19, of Japan
Jillian Lesley Murphy, 48 of Christchurch
Melissa Ann Neale, 42, of Wellington
Erica Avir Reyes Nora , 20, of Phillipines
Blair James O'Connor, 34, of Christchurch
John Joseph O'Connor, 40, of Ireland
Noriko Otsubo, 41, of Japan
Linda Rosemary Parker, 50, of Christchurch
Joseph Tehau Pohio , 40, of Christchurch
Taneysha Gail Prattley, 5 weeks, of Christchurch
Wanpen Preeklang, 45, of Thailand
Jessie Lloyd Redoble, 30, of the Philippines
Deborah Ann Roberts, 39, of Christchurch
Joseph Stuart Routledge (known as Stuart), 74 of Christchurch
Lucy Routledge, 74, of Christchurch
Saya Sakuda, 19, of Japan
Yoko Sakurai, 27, of Japan
Jeff Pelesa Sanft, 32, of Christchurch
Gillian Sayers, 43, of Christchurch
Susan Lyn Selway, 50, of Christchurch
Emma Shaharudin, 35, of Lincoln, Christchurch
Allan Alexander Sinclair, 46, of Christchurch
Christopher Patrick Smith, 48 of Selwyn
Christine Patricia (Trish) Stephenson, 61, of Christchurch
Reta Stewart, 71, of Christchurch
Beverley May Stick, 71, of Christchurch
Earl Nicholas Stick, 78, of Christchurch
Neil Glyn Stocker, 58, of Timaru
Michael Stuart Coulter Styant, 41, of Christchurch
Yoko Suzuki, 31, of Japan
Te Taki (Wally) Tairakena, 60, of Christchurch |
Hiroko Tamano, 43, from Japan.
Desley Ann Thomson, 32 of Christchurch
Lesley Jane Thomson, 55, of Christchurch
Isaac James Thompson, 21, of Rangiora
Gregory James Tobin, 25 of Christchurch
Shane Robert Tomlin, 42 of Christchurch
Asuka Tsuchihashi, 28, Japan
Hui Yun Tu, 22, of China
Yurika Uchihira, 19, of Japan
Amanda Jayne (Mandy) Uriao, 38, of Christchurch
Limin Wang, 32, from China
Tao Wang, 29, of China
Brian Warrington Taylor, 66, of Christchurch
Julie Kathryn Wong, 37, of Christchurch (dual UK and NZ citizenship)
Joan Dorothy Weild, 76, of Christchurch
Graham Weild, 77, of Christchurch
Lisa Patricia Willems, 43 of Christchurch
Murray John Wood, 57, Christchurch
Siriphan Wongbunngam, 27 of Thailand
Jittra Waithayatadapong, 40, of Thailand
Owen Morris Wright, 40, of Lyttelton
Stephen Robert Wright , 46, Christchurch
Paul Khye Soon Wu, 60, of Christchurch
Sisi Xin, 28, of China
Linlin Xu, 26, of China
Ayako Yamaguchi, 30, of Japan
Didem Yaman, 31, of Turkey
Mina Yamatani, 19, of Japan
Caiying Ye , 27 of China
Saki Yokota, 19, of Japan
Gilhwan Yu, 24, of Korea
Naon Yu , 21, of South Korea
Hui Zhang , 34, China
Weiyu Zhang, 30, of China.
Yantao Zhong, 31, of China
May they all rest in peace.
There are some people that will not likely ever be identified. This is due to the sad and horrible fact that only bone fragments remain. That testifies to the intensity of the quake.
The city is still shattered. The cbd won't open until October at the earliest. Thousands of people have lost their jobs. Homes are being evaluated for damage and its likely thousands will need to be demolished. Plans are in place to build thousands of temporary housing that will house the homeless whose lives have been shattered. Between 600 and 900 buildings will have to be demolished in the Christchurch CBD, according to Peter Townsend from the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce.
The sewage system is munted. Repairs will take months. In the meantime some people are still using either portaloos or chemical loos.
Power has been restored to those who have houses to live in. But with constant aftershocks, nerves are shattered and people are stressed beyond belief. Thousands of people fled Christchurch in the immediate aftermath of the quake. Some will not return.
The city that I spent a lot of time in growing up, is no longer the same. It will rebuild and life will go on but the people there will not be the same. The city will not be the same. I only hope, that both the buildings and the people will be stronger for having experienced this horrible horrible event.