Information on Christchurch Earthquakes and aftershocks
For the latest information about the earthquakes please follow our recent media releases.
For latest information on recovery and repair works please go to the Stronger Christchurch website
For the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Plan - download here [PDF 1.3MB]
February 2012 Commemorative Events
Christchurch City Council has confirmed the commemorative events which will mark the first anniversary of the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
6 January 2011 - Briefing from GNS Science seismologists following the Dec 23 2011 spate of aftershocks in the city
Kelvin Berryman, GNS presenting at the briefing
We brought live updates through Twitter and Facebook from the briefing session at the Geo Dome in North Hagley Park on 6 January 2011.
Media release
FAQ of the briefings
You Tube videos of the briefing are also on the Christchurch City Council youtube channel.
3News also has the briefing available at their Video On Demand site. (Live streaming of the event was also available courtesy of 3News)
Slides from this Powerpoint presentation were used by Kelvin Berryman, Manager, Natural Hazards Research Platform, in the briefing. Not all slides were used.
Tsunami information for Christchurch after the earthquakes is available at the Environment Canterbury website
http://ecan.govt.nz/advice/emergencies-and-hazard/tsunami/pages/tsunami-info-chch.aspx
and at the Council website:
http://www.ccc.govt.nz/homeliving/civildefence/informationondisastershazards/tsunami.aspx
Geonet also has a summary of the Dec 23 2011 quake events and associated aftershocks.
Christchurch earthquake - 22 February, 2011
The Government declared a State of National Emergency in New Zealand on the day following the 22 February Christchurch earthquake which remained in place for almost nine weeks. The city has now shifted from emergency response to recovery and the Christchurch City Council is working closely with Central Government's Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) and other agencies.
Transition from Civil Defence to CERA
With the Civil Defence emergency ended, earthquake response and recovery functions were transitioned out of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and many of the key roles and responsibilities were shared between the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA), the Christchurch City Council (the Council) and other local authorities and agencies.
CERA leads the Recovery strategy, policy and planning, and the Council continues to be responsible for regular Council-related matters in the most part and the coordination of the Central City Plan.
Infrastructure
The Council is responsible for water and waste issues, including maintenance of street laterals; portaloos and chemical toilets; roading and traffic management; kerbside collections; water conservation and restrictions, including the state of the city's waterways which will be shared in conjunction with Environment Canterbury; and a rodent management plan.
CERA is responsible for the coordination and planning of infrastructure.
Orion is responsible for power and the telcos will remain responsible for telecommunications.
Planning
CERA is responsible for all individual building inquiries; cordon management including access schemes for business, temporary and residents; demolitions, including debris management; the Cashel Mall Re:Start project; and business communications which will be shared with Councils.
The Council is responsible for earthquake-prone building policy; heritage; resource consents; LIMs and PIMs; CBD business putrescence cleaning; and flood protection.
Changes to speed up urban planning in ChCh
The Government has made changes to the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement to provide certainty to enable local authorities and developers to make land available for post earthquake residential development, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today (14 October 2011).
"The region’s planning framework has to accommodate the extraordinary set of circumstances we face in Canterbury following the series of earthquakes over the last 13 months," Mr Brownlee said.
"It has to provide for the needs of families who have to relocate homes and rebuild their lives following the red zoning of their properties due to severe land damage incurred by the earthquakes.
"The Regional Policy Statement is the key document. It was in the process of being updated prior to the series of earthquakes that began in September last year. Appeals are currently being considered by the Environment Court.
"The Government believes that process needs to be sped up and modified to accommodate the events of the past 13 months," Mr Brownlee said.
Mr Brownlee said the changes involve revoking Proposed Change 1 to the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement and inserting a new chapter 12A.
More information on the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement - Chapter 12A
Economic Recovery
CERA is responsible for economic recovery coordination and skills/workforce planning.
The Department of Labour is responsible for the Labour market.
Welfare
Responsibilities for welfare remains with the following government agencies:
Welfare rebuild coordination - CERA
Welfare/employment assistance - Ministry of Social Development
If you have received a letter of offer from CERA for your land and property, you will have some important financial decisions to make. The Sorted website has a special page for red zone residents, which has a range of tools and information, to help guide you through your financial decisions. This includes a financial decision guide booklet and an action plan checklist to help get you started with what to think about, and do, and who to talk to.
Temporary Housing - Department of Building and Housing
Health messaging coordination - Canterbury District Health Board
Education - Ministry of Education
Emergency repairs - Earthquake Commission (EQC)
Heating installation - EQC
Insurance
Insurance claims and issues is the responsibility of
EQC, Insurance Council New Zealand and insurance companies
Individual projects
CERA is responsible for land remediation and will share the responsibility of the hillside suburbs with the Council.
The Council is responsible for the Central City Plan.
Public Information and website links
The general public can continue to call (03) 941 8999 for all enquiries and check the following website for updates: www.ccc.govt.nz, www.cera.govt.nz, and other agency websites.
