NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Budget 2025
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Christchurch quake: 'The final straw'

Kurt Bayer
By Kurt Bayer
South Island Head of News·APNZ·
23 Dec, 2011 04:30 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A car rests in a sink hole caused by liquefaction in the Christchurch suburb of Parklands after a series of earthquakes. Photo / Simon Baker

A car rests in a sink hole caused by liquefaction in the Christchurch suburb of Parklands after a series of earthquakes. Photo / Simon Baker

The father of one Christchurch family spoke for many yesterday when he said: "This really is the final straw."

Sarno Yambasef, his wife Jean, their daughter Evie, 6, and autistic son Dante, 3, were in their living room planning a children's Christmas Eve party when the first tremor - a 5.8 magnitude shake - struck at 1.58pm.

"The whole house seemed to lift off its piles," said Mr Yambasef. "It felt worse than a 5.8. Dante was okay, but Evie was really scared."

The family live on Wainoni Rd, Avondale, one of the suburbs worst hit by silt and mud formed by liquefaction during the swarm of four tremors yesterday afternoon.

The couple moved into the house soon after the first damaging quake in September last year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Fifteen months of aftershocks have pushed them to breaking point. Now they've had enough.

"We don't know what to do, but we can't stay here," said Mr Yambasef.

"We were excited about a bigger house for our children, but now we want out. This really is the final straw."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Yambasef was already shovelling mud from the first aftershock when the second one, of 6.0 magnitude, hit at 3.18pm.

"Everything was really rocking. It was a pretty violent shake, and now look at it. The liquefaction is just too much to deal with. The smell of sewage is awful. It reeks in the hall and bedroom. The walls are cracked."

The damage comes days after the family regained basic services for the first time since the February 22 quake that killed 182 people.

"The sewerage was off for seven months and only last week was it
officially fixed," Mr Yambasef said. "They took our portaloo away last Friday. It's unbelievable."

Discover more

New Zealand

Christchurch: More quakes likely

23 Dec 05:59 AM
Opinion

Fran O'Sullivan: Shearer's message just what Kiwis needed

23 Dec 04:30 PM
Employment

Christchurch population faces decimation as quakes drag on

23 Dec 06:17 AM
New Zealand|crime

Woman was texting before fatal crash, police say

23 Dec 04:30 PM

He said the family had to be close to autism centres for Dante.

"But we need to get out of here. It's no good for him, he can't play outside and that is good therapy for him. And his sister is terrified.

"This is where I was born and raised, but you have to do what is best for your family."

A few doors down, Judah Matenga, 43, was wading through the sludge in his front yard and coming to a similar conclusion.

His wife, Sarah, was at the Palms Shopping Centre in Shirley when yesterday's first shock hit.

"It was pandemonium," said the 36-year-old. "People were panicking, lots of ladies crying, the look of shock on people's faces ...

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We got out and rushed home to find our place covered in liquefaction - again."

The Matengas were badly hit by the tragic February 22 quake, but believe yesterday's tremors were more unforgiving.

"We got liquefaction badly in February but this is twice as bad," said Mrs Matenga. "The house had sunk 30cm, but God knows how far it's sunk now."

The family are just back from a holiday in Australia. Now they are planning to go there permanently.

"That's the plan, move to Oz," said Mr Matenga. "This is the last straw, really. Christmas still has to go ahead, but after that we'll be out of here."

Experts predict many others will join the Yambasefs and the Matengas.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The ANZ Bank was accused of pessimism after predicting the September 2010 quake would prompt 5 per cent of the city's people to leave.

Its chief economist, Cameron Bagrie, said yesterday that figure "seems too light" and the final tally could double.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the aftershocks inevitably delayed the rebuilding of the city.

The Bank of New Zealand's head of strategy, Stephen Toplis, said the government geological service GNS had warned it could be four years before the shaking settled down.

"This is all part of the same thing and it's going to keep happening."

Bonnie Singh, 28, suffered a broken back and neck in the February quake when the tattoo studio she was working in collapsed around her.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Last night, she said she was still physically and mentally affected by that disaster, and yesterday's tremors sent her "spiralling".

"It so sucks. I was just starting to relax," she said.

"It's definitely put a damper on Christmas ... It's just a sure reminder that it's not over.

"And who knows when and if it will ever be - I don't know how much more we can take."

- additional reporting: Anna Leask, Pattrick Smellie of BusinessDesk

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Arrested man claims police beat him, then released him to walk 20km back to Napier

23 May 02:13 AM
New Zealand

What's in the Budget for agriculture?

23 May 02:00 AM
New Zealand

Bay of Plenty traffic expert defends te reo signs

23 May 02:00 AM

The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Arrested man claims police beat him, then released him to walk 20km back to Napier

Arrested man claims police beat him, then released him to walk 20km back to Napier

23 May 02:13 AM

Cops say John Heremaia “actively and violently” resisted arrest, and assaulted an officer.

What's in the Budget for agriculture?

What's in the Budget for agriculture?

23 May 02:00 AM
Bay of Plenty traffic expert defends te reo signs

Bay of Plenty traffic expert defends te reo signs

23 May 02:00 AM
Fire on upper floor of under-construction building in central Akl

Fire on upper floor of under-construction building in central Akl

23 May 01:32 AM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP