Overnight tremors hamper ongoing demolition efforts.
The growing demolition community in New Zealand’s earthquake clean-up “Red Zone” was rocked by two more significant earthquakes overnight. Those tremors, which will unquestionably have further weakened buildings undermined in the February quake that killed almost 200 people, serve as a timely reminder of the difficulties facing the multi-national demolition crews now working in Christchurch and could hamper demolition efforts that have moved into top gear in the past few months.
The first 5.8 quake struck at 1358 local time (0058 GMT), the US Geological Survey said. A second of similar magnitude hit 80 minutes later. The first earthquake struck 26 km (15 miles) north-east of the city at a depth of 4.7 km. The second was in almost exactly the same place, the USGS said.
Buildings were damaged, power supplies cut and the city’s airport had to be closed temporarily. Power supplies were severed to 26,000 residents but they have now been restored to around 13,000.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said events had left people shaken. “Psychologically this is a tough one. People are outside buildings on streets weeping, I’m told. You can just sense the sense of ‘not again, how much longer’,” he told the Newstalk ZB radio network.
To view a raw video shot during one of the latest quakes, click here or read more here.
