Monday 22 February marked the fifth anniversary of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake that killed 185 people. Along with the human cost, the quake caused approximately $30 billion of damage to the city and surrounding areas, according to the New Zealand Treasury, and ended up as the second worst natural disaster in New Zealand’s living memory, behind only the Mount Erebus airplane crash that killed 257 people in 1979.
Around 1,000 people gathered in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens as a mark of respect for the victims and to reflect on the significance of the day. John Key attended along with several cabinet ministers, laying a wreath during the event, before the names of the victims were read out in remembrance.
“There is still some way to go until Christchurch is truly reborn,” said New Zealand’s governor-general, Jerry Mateparae, The Guardian reported.
The city is feeling a bounce in its step following the enormous task of rebuilding the city as tourist numbers are almost back to pre-earthquake levels in many areas. However, some areas are still feeling the effects of the disaster to this day, with tourists still steering clear of them largely due to continuing damage to infrastructure.
During the event, a man threw what was described as ‘muck’ over Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee, before saying that the Government had “no compassion” and were “heartless”, reported the NZ Herald. Brownlee has received a large amount of criticism for what some describe as a lackluster performance in the rebuild of New Zealand’s third most populous city. Former Labour leader David Cunliffe was quoted by Stuff as saying Brownlee is a “minister who has the power of God, who is a human wrecking ball cutting a swathe through the center of the city.”
On Valentines Day Christchurch was rocked by a 5.7 magnitude earthquake, which came as a reminder to Christchurch’s 370,000 residents that the earthquake risk remains a prominent danger.