Emergency remains in NZealand city amid aftershocks: officials
WELLINGTON (AFP) — Sections of New Zealand's Gisborne remained shut down Saturday as more aftershocks rattled the eastern city two days after a powerful 6.8 earthquake struck, authorities said.
About one third of the city's commercial district remained closed and a state of emergency was still in place in the wake of the tremblor, which smashed buildings and was felt throughout much of New Zealand.
The Gisborne District Council confirmed that 16 people were injured and one elderly woman had died of a suspected heart attack after the quake struck on Thursday night.
Several buildings also partially collapsed, roofs caved in and gaping holes appeared in roadways in the city of 42,000 on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island.
The Earthquake Commission, which provides insurance cover for earthquakes, said it expected to receive several thousand claims totalling up to 30 million dollars (23 million US).
An aftershock measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale rocked the area about noon on Saturday (2300 GMT Friday) but there were no immediate reports of further damage.
Earlier aftershocks of 4.5 and 4.2 shook the area on Friday, following the initial quake at 8:55 pm on Thursday, which was centred about 50 kilometres (31 miles) off the coast of Gisborne.
A Gisborne District Council spokesman said the state of emergency in the city would be reviewed later Saturday.
Mayor Meng Foon said all buildings had been classified -- after engineers checked on their safety -- and 23 businesses could not be entered while another 49 had limited access.
About half a dozen people had required emergency housing, he said.
About 70 percent of shops were able to open for late Christmas shopping as clean up of the area continued.
Gisborne has suffered many such disasters, including 11 tsunamis, and the recovery operation from the latest earthquake was running smoothly, Foon said.
"Not that we're a disaster place, but we're experts in civil defence ... Our community is in good heart and we're going to have a good Christmas and life will go on," he said.
