Canterbury quake repairs could take three years

After the September 4 earthquake EQC brought 200 extra insurance workers from Australia to help process the thousands of claims. Photo / Mark Mitchell

It could be up to three years before all the damage from the Canterbury earthquake and aftershocks is repaired.

The Earthquake Commission has received 165,000 claims for damage from the magnitude 7.1 earthquake on September 4 and the three main aftershocks on October 19, November 14 and December 26.

Chief executive Ian Simpson says moderate damage can be settled quickly with cash, but structural damage will take longer. He says the amount of damage is unsurprising, particularly after the Boxing Day aftershock which was quite shallow and close to the Christchurch CBD.

Mr Simpson says there could easily be 60,000, 70,000 or even 80,000 repairs that need to be done which will probably take over two or maybe three years.

- Newstalk ZB