2011 Christchurch Earthquake Day IV

1553: This podcast interview of an ambulance driver is gripping.

1551: Amazing photos at the Boston Globe.

1459: The Christchurch recovery Map website  http://eq.org.nz/ is a great resource where people can report and find out what is broken and what is open in their neighbourhoods. They’ve used info from tweets and elsewhere – a great use of social media to make a difference. One can also contact the Student Volunteer Army at http://eq.org.nz/volunteer-army/ or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/StudentVolunteerArmy.

1456: Christchurch people need your old phones. If you have a phone that works without a power supply, then please let Telecom know and they can get it to a family in need in Christchurch. Website is – http://www.telecom.co.nz/earthquakephones.

1448: Lowlives have been named. The two men arrested for stealing emergency power generators are 23-year-old Owen Anthony Jackson, a fisherman and Jed Wilson-Calver, 22, unemployed. It is reported “The two skin-headed men waved offensive hand gestures at photographers and court staff and media present in a makeshift courtroom at the Christchurch Police Station”.

Mr Wilson-Calver is the same Jed who in 2006 had $20,000 of fines wiped in exchange for 180 hours community service. The Judge said “he accepted Wilson-Calver was a hard-worker who had the potential to go a long way in life.” Guess he got that one wrong. He also in 2008 was found guilty of ramming his car into another car deliberately, and got eight months jail.

1049: The Government has just announced the 8 March 2011 census has been cancelled due to the earthquake. No date has been set for a replacement one, if there will be one.

The growing death toll is distressing, as is the realisation that major parts of Christchurch will probably have to be destroyed before they can be rebuilt. This is not going to just be a case of repairing some damaged buildings.

On the positive side, great to see the student volunteer army back in action.