Rally Held for Quake hit Christchurch Residents

An open air forum was held yesterday for residents of Christchurch affected by the recent earthquakes who wanted to raise their concerns and form community networks. About 70 people gathered in Linwood Park, opposite the still closed Eastgate Mall. The eastern suburbs were badly damaged in the earthquake and according to those in attendance there are still significant problems in the area.

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Sewerage related issues are a common concern, with pipes damaged in the coastal suburb of New Brighton. Portable toilets are sparse in some areas where they are needed, places where people do not have outdoor space for digging a 'long drop' or a vehicle for disposing of the waste from chemical toilets. 25 incidents of 'exploding toilets' have been reported in the east, where high-pressure cleaning hoses caused sewage to burst out of toilet bowls.

Unsurprisingly jobs were an issue for a lot of people. The quake has made thousands unemployed. Democracy and transparency were key issues. The new Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) will govern Christchurch for the next five years, with state-of-emergency style powers. Fletcher Building, whose stocks rose on the day the quake hit, is getting government rebuilding contracts and there were worries about profiteering.

With the nights getting colder people believed home heating was going to become a much bigger issue. While most of the city outside the still cordoned off central business district has electricity, a large number of houses are missing chimneys or are not as weather tight as required due to quake damage to roofs and walls. Other issues raised were heritage buildings, access to the central city, and potential respiratory problems resulting from silt and materials from demolished buildings. The rally was organised by Action for Christchurch East. Another meeting is being planed for later in the month.