The Christchurch Catholic Cathedral, which was damaged
extensively in yesterday's quake. Photo: NZPA / David
Wethey
Foreign Affairs Murray McCully today expressed New
Zealand's gratitude for messages of condolences and offers of
assistance following yesterday's Christchurch earthquake.
"New Zealanders are deeply humbled by the messages of support
and offers of specialist search and rescue help that have
flooded in over the past 24 hours from other countries," he
said.
"Support will be critical over the next few days as we
reassess the specialist services required to speed the rescue
operation."
Mr McCully said New Zealand had received offers of help from
numerous countries, and accepted offers from Australia, the
United States, Singapore, Japan, United Kingdom and Taiwan.
• Fonterra delivers water
Fonterra today delivered 200,000 litres of fresh water to
quake-stricken Christchurch.
The city council earlier said clean water was likely to run
out within days as yesterday's 6.3 magnitude quake had
damaged the water supply on the eastern side of the city.
The water was delivered in rail pods usually used to
transport milk and was being distributed to water centres set
up at six local schools.
Fonterra said 34 pods, each holding 21,000 litres, were being
sourced from around the South Island.
"We will fill these with water and deliver it to Christchurch
to help keep water coming for as long as it's needed."
Six more water tanks were also on their way from Auckland.
The council also reported the sewage treatment station at
suburban Bromley out of service with raw sewage entering the
estuary.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said food, additional blankets
and supplies had been requisitioned under emergency powers
with the assistance of some major companies in Christchurch.
• Census form delivery delayed
Statistics New Zealand has suspended the delivery of census
forms nationwide due to yesterday's devastating 6.3 magnitude
quake in Christchurch.
Census general manager Carol Slappendel said the forms would
not be delivered before February 25.
"Like everyone in New Zealand, our many staff in Christchurch
and around the country are struggling to cope with
yesterday's tragedy," she said. "We also face uncertainty as
to the extent of damage to our buildings and operating
systems in Christchurch and what impact that will have on the
2011 Census."
Statistics NZ had already stopped form deliveries in
Christchurch and Banks Peninsula.
The five yearly census is due to be held on March 8.
• Post services suspended
New Zealand Post said today all operations in Christchurch
will remain suspended until Monday, when they will be further
reviewed.
The suspension includes Christchurch Mail Centre operations,
postal and courier deliveries, box lobbies and PostShop
Kiwibank stores.
"We have decided to continue the suspension of operations at
this time so we can fully assess the safety and wellbeing of
our staff and their families, support staff personally
affected by this terrible disaster and check the structural
integrity of our premises," Group Chief Executive Brian Roche
said.
Mr Roche said options were being reviewed for alternative
ways of getting mail to South Island centres whose mail is
processed at the Christchurch Mail Centre.
For Christchurch customers, mail and parcels will be held
until deliveries resume.
PostShop Kiwibank stores owned by New Zealand Post will
remain closed until each has undergone a structural audit and
cleared for resumption of business.
Franchisees wil decide when services resume at franchised
stores and PostCentre outlets.
• Crusaders board director killed
A director on the board of the Crusaders was killed in the
Christchurch earthquake, the Canterbury Rugby Union's chief
executive Hamish Riach confirmed today.
Riach said the unnamed board member had been working in the
Pyne Gould Corporation building which collapsed yesterday.
He said the Crusaders team had been shaken up by the event.
He was not aware of any other loss of life in the wider
organisation.
• Concerns over water supply
There will not be enough water to meet demand in Christchurch
in the coming days, Christchurch City Council says.
The council says damage caused by yesterday's earthquake
meant the water supply was not functioning on the eastern
side of the city.
"There is no drinking water and no fire pressure," it said in
a statement.
The council said that drinking water could be collected from
a number of primary schools where it would be be delivered
throughout the day.
Lyttelton Main and Phillipstown schools have water tanks,
while tanks are on their way to Governors Bay Primary School,
Lyttelton West School an Diamond Harbour Service Station.
Six more water tanks are were their way from Auckland.
The council also reported the sewage treatment station at
suburban Bromley out of service with raw sewage entering the
estuary.
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