Christchurch: Two Years On

It's now been two years since the devastating February 22nd earthquake which hit Christchurch, destroying many homes and businesses, and taking the lives of 185 people. Thankfully the magnitude and frequency of aftershocks are both decreasing (see the Canterbury Quake Live site), along with the chance of there being any more major aftershocks. Some parts of the city have been fixed, but others are still in disarray. On my visit back home over Christmas I drove along some bumpy roads littered with potholes, particularly in the eastern suburbs by the Avon River and the estuary.  There are still many damaged and unoccupied homes, and tagging has sprung up everywhere. My parents' house remains unfixed, with boarded up windows and taped up cracks in the walls. It's sad to see, and I feel for my Mum and Dad not being able to do anything to speed up the process of getting repairs done. Thankfully some progress is slowly being made and the major repairs may start within a year or so.

Unofficial road sign

The photos below show the scarcely believable current state of the central city. So many buildings have been demolished, and there are still many left to be pulled down, with over 70% of the central city scheduled for destruction. Looking at the pictures, it is hard to even recognise which street is which, the layout has changed so much.

Despite the sadness of seeing the city I grew up with being torn down, it's exciting to think of the amazing opportunity which now exists for the city planners. Central Christchurch can be rebuilt from scratch, and there is great potential to make it one of the most modern and environmentally friendly cities in the world! Obviously it will take many years to rebuild the city into what it once was, but in 10 years or so, Christchurch will surely be a great place to live again (that's as long as it remains earthquake free...). There's a plan already in place for the rebuild, and a short video outlining the basics can be seen by clicking on this link, where more detailed information can also be found. I'm sure I will move back and live there sometime in the coming years, and I can't wait to see what it will look like then.

Looking at what's left of the cathedral and the central city

Another angle of the central city