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The family of a 78-year-old who had a heart attack and died during Gisborne's earthquake believe she died of fright.
The woman's grandson said his "quite shy and very kind" grandmother died from stress caused by the quake, which measured 6.8 on the Richter scale and struck shortly
before 9pm on Thursday.
"My uncle was in the other room and as soon as everything stopped shaking he went into her room, but she had died," he said.
"She would have got a massive fright from the earthquake for sure, that's what it would have been."
The mother of four and grandmother of five was the only person to die in the earthquake, but at least 11 people were injured.
The grandson said ambulance staff rushed to his grandmother's home,on Awapuni Rd, but could not revive her.
"At least we got to have a Christmas dinner with her last week and had the family with her. I know she enjoyed that," he said.
"It's just hard to believe nobody else was hurt in all of this. The place is a real mess and people are pretty shaken."
Gisborne retailers were allowed back to their shops yesterday to view the damage.
A state of emergency was declared after the quake, which was centred 50km offshore southeast of Gisborne and was 40km deep.
It was followed yesterday morning by aftershocks measuring 4.2 and 4.5 on the Richter scale.
An apartment building and two shops were partially collapsed, roofs caved in, water tanks and winery vats burst and gaping holes opened in roadways. Four houses, one under construction, were damaged.
In Gisborne's public library, thousands of books were shaken from the shelves.
The city's downtown area was partially re-opened yesterday afternoon, later than expected because damage in the area was found to be more extensive than first thought.
Residents are starting to repair the quake damage, which expected to cost at least $30 million.
The three Gisborne wineries of Pernod Ricard New Zealand - formerly Montana Wines - were damaged by the earthquake.
Managing director Fabian Partigliani said: "There has been some wine losses and tank damage. With 450 tanks over three winery locations, our team is carefully working through each site, assessing the extent of the earthquake damage and ensuring the sites are secure."
Gisborne District Council public information manager Vance Walker said it had been hoped the central shopping area would be re-opened by midday, but "the damage has been a bit more extensive than what we initially thought".
Bernina Sewing Centre owner Stephanie Butler told Radio New Zealand that her store, which she had owned for 30 years, looked "like a bomb site like you see in the Middle East on TV".
"The shop from next door has fallen on to us; the upstairs of that has fallen through our roof," Ms Butler said.
Insurance Council chief executive Chris Ryan said assessors were gauging the destruction, which included structural damage, broken windows, damaged fireplaces and a range of other interior damage.
The Earthquake Commission had received 547 claims yesterday, and was expecting many more.
- NZPA
