National state of emergency extended

Last updated 11:09 06/04/2011

 

The state of national emergency following Christchurch's February earthquake has been extended today for another week.

Civil Defence declared the state of emergency on February 23, the day after the magnitude 6.3 quake hit.

Under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002, it can be declared for a maximum of seven days at a time.

"While the situation in Christchurch city has improved significantly in the six weeks since the earthquake, the city has not been stabilised sufficiently to change the status of this state of national emergency," Civil Defence Minister John Carter said.

He said once the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, a new Government department, has been set up the state of national emergency could be lifted.