Canterbury earthquake victims with the most damaged homes could have to wait more than two and half years for their houses to be fixed - but one owner says her problems are nothing compared to the misery of the Pike River mine disaster.
The September Canterbury earthquake. These buildings have since been demolished. Note: these photos were taken on a cellphone; mind the quality.
The September Canterbury earthquake. These buildings have since been demolished. Note: these photos were taken on a cellphone; mind the quality.
The September Canterbury earthquake. These buildings have since been demolished. Note: these photos were taken on a cellphone; mind the quality.
Schools are an important part of any community, and two years on from the start of the earthquakes in Canterbury many are still coping with damage to classrooms, and with dramatically reduced rolls.
The Christchurch City Council has voted to fast track the demolition of two heritage buildings that it says were severely damaged in September's earthquake and pose an immediate danger to people's safety.
A digital copy of a painting by Julia Holden. The painting is of building rubble and machinery. Gloucester Arcade and the badly-damaged Farmers building are in the background to the right.
A photograph of badly-damaged buildings on Manchester Street, between Tuam Street and St Asaph Street. The businesses have been cordoned off with wire fencing and many of their facades have collapsed.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
The sign of the badly damaged Knox Presbyterian Church on the corner of Bealey Avenue and Victoria Street. The brickwork from the gable above has crumbled, exposing the inside of the building.
A photograph of residents walking down London Street in Lyttelton. In the background, the earthquake damage to the Ground Culinary Centre can be seen as well as a number of cordon fences.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to Kim's Restaurant on Colombo Street. The gable on the left side of the building has crumbled, the bricks falling into The Painted Room next door.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Karim Mina (17) is missed by a thrown wet sponge at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Winnie Bagoes building on Gloucester Street. Large sections of the building have collapsed, the bricks and other rubble spilling onto the ground in front.
A photograph of the Edgeware Law and South of the Border building on Colombo Street with a severely damaged top storey. Wire fencing has been placed around the building as a cordon.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Winnie Bagoes building on Gloucester Street. Large sections of the building have collapsed, the bricks and other rubble spilling onto the ground in front.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Summary of oral history interview with Leanne Curtis about her experiences of the Canterbury earthquakes.
A photograph of Graeme Kershaw, Technician at the University of Canterbury Department of Physics and Astronomy, sitting among the damaged parts of the Townsend Telescope. The telescope was damaged during the 22 February 2011 earthquake, when the Observatory tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre collapsed. Kershaw has been given the task of restoring the telescope. In this photograph he is holding the telescope's clock drive.
A photograph of Graeme Kershaw, Technician at the University of Canterbury Department of Physics and Astronomy, sitting among the damaged parts of the Townsend Telescope. The telescope was damaged during the 22 February 2011 earthquake, when the Observatory tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre collapsed. Kershaw has been given the task of restoring the telescope. In this photograph he is holding the telescope's clock drive.
A photograph of Graeme Kershaw, Technician at the University of Canterbury Department of Physics and Astronomy, sitting among the damaged parts of the Townsend Telescope. The telescope was damaged during the 22 February 2011 earthquake, when the Observatory tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre collapsed. Kershaw has been given the task of restoring the telescope. In this photograph he is holding the telescope's clock drive.
A video about the earthquake damage to the Christchurch Town Hall. The video shows footage of a tour through the inside of the Town Hall, recorded on a GoPro camera. It also includes interviews with Councillor Glenn Livingstone and Councillor Tim Carter about their impressions of the damage and the work that will be needed to fix the building.
A large chess board made from sand and broken shells, with a painted beach scene on the wall behind. The photographer comments, "After all the suggestions put on the wall on what to do in this area, which was once an earthquake damaged shop, they have made the chess board, painted a seaside scene on the wall and created a small wall of tyres".
Broken windows on the Orion building on Manchester Street. The photographer comments, "Bob Brown's Hi-Fi was damaged, as you can see, in the Christchurch earthquake on the 22 February 2011. At lot of buildings in the area have been demolished, but this art deco style structure might have not have been put on the demolition list yet".
A digitally manipulated photograph of broken windows on Shadbolt House. The photographer comments, "This was close to the start of the demolition of the earthquake damaged Shadbolt House building in the Port of Lyttelton, New Zealand. In the bright sun the glass reflected the blue sky, but the broken windows only reflected the blackness of the interior of the empty broken building".
A photograph of the earthquake damage to a group of stores on Manchester Street including the While You Wait Studio, Smith's Bookshop, Aji Global Grocery & Chocolateria and Curios Bric-a-Brac. Sections of the front wall have crumbled, the bricks falling to the footpath and damaging the awnings. Plastic fencing has been placed along the road as a cordon.