Christchurch earthquake: Civil Defence updates

New Zealand Civil Defence meeting in Christchurch's CBD after the second big earthquake which caused extensive damage and loss of life. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Main Civil Defence updates following the Christchurch Earthquake:

Welfare



* Pioneer Stadium, Burnside High School and Rangiora Baptist Church housed 329 people overnight;

* 62,500 properties are without water and 100,000 properties without sewerage; and

* about 30 people evacuated from Soleares Ave, in Mt Pleasant, overnight.

Suburbs

* 4000 residences have been visited;

* 489 residences identified as needing food over the next 24 hours, and liaison is under way with the Salvation Army;

* Lyttelton and surrounds appear to be worst-affected areas in terms of day-to-day needs, such as food; and

* house assessments continuing today, with about 200 inspections a day.

Suburbs and shops:

* 5390 shops and houses assessed, with 341 declared unsafe, 493 needing further assessment and 4566 safe;

Central business district (CBD)

* CBD between four avenues remains restricted area; and

* 223 businesses declared unsafe, 172 require further assessment and 569 are safe.

Water and waste water:

* Army servicing Lyttelton and New Brighton with desalination plant, with more than 4000 people going to the Brighton water point;

* people whose properties appear undamaged and without siltation can use their showers, albeit sparingly. Do not use showers at properties with liquefaction and damage;

* flush toilets sparingly if they are functioning properly; and

* conserve water to allow the pressure to rise.

Fuel:

* There is no fuel shortage so do not to panic-buy fuel; and

* for a list of open petrol stations go to Canterburyearthquake.org.nz.

Health:

* Gastroenteritis the biggest risk;

* chemical toilets and port-a-loos being brought into the city;

* boil water;

* stress levels are high and people react in different ways, so be tolerant and take care of each other;

* access health services if you need to;

* 70 per cent of GPs up and running;

* field hospital operating at Cowle Stadium as many GP premises in the surrounding area have been damaged;

* all hospitals functioning, and emergency departments are quiet;

* orthopaedic support has arrived from Wellington and another team will arrive from Auckland on Monday;

* more births are happening due to earthquake. extra support being organised;

* no elective surgery at public or private hospitals until at least March 7;

* 180 elderly residents from the worst-affected areas transferred out of city; and

* nearly all extra aged care facilities in the South Island utilised.

Defence:

* Defence force working with the police to make sure security is in place in the restricted area; and

* police and defence force are also doing security work in the suburbs in the worst-affected areas.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade:

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff are at Christchurch airport 24 hours a day.

Police:

* More than 200 missing people;

* foreign nationals should ring home and the Red Cross inquiry line 0800 REDCROSS to confirm they are okay;

* 123 bodies at the morgue;

* six names released;

* disaster victim identification process thorough and time-consuming, and further complicated by the extent of the injuries the victims received and by the passing of time;

* family liaison team meeting today with foreign and local families;

* nearly 1200 police in Christchurch working on this operation;

* of those, 324 are from Australia, more than 200 are from other parts of NZ and there are at least 600 are local police;

* 600-plus urban search and rescue (USAR) personnel in the field; and

* USAR still operating at the CTV and PGC buildings and will resume work at the Cathedral today.

Fire Service

* All buildings changing all the time due to the after shocks;

* fire crews available to respond to business as usual as well as earthquake-related incidents;

* if your property has substantial structural damage turn off the power and seek assistance from an electrician; and

* please check fire alarms are working;

Power:

* More than 80 per cent of Christchurch properties have power;

* large overhead line being built to replace four damaged cables; and

* conserve power.

Schools:

* Schools closed until the end of next week.

- NZPA