Christchurch shaken by 5.3 aftershock

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 5:01a.m.

Christchurch was shaken by another powerful aftershock just after 10:30 last night.

The magnitude 5.3 quake was 12km deep and centred 10km west of Akaroa.

Christchurch Airport was closed while they checked the runway and control towers, and international flights were diverted to Auckland.

Power was briefly cut to some suburbs.

It was the strongest since magnitude 5.7 and 6.3 shocks hit Christchurch last week.

Two smaller magnitude 3.5 and 3.6 tremors, centred southwest of Christchurch around Templeton, also shook the city.

By 11:30pm GeoNet had received more than 1000 “felt reports” from as far away as Paraparaumu and Invercargill.

Four people from Hornby and the Upper Riccarton area considered the quake to be heavily damaging, with 13 classifying it as damaging and more than 100 as slightly damaging.

Meanwhile, speculation is mounting that a final decision on which areas of Christchurch can never be rebuilt will be announced tomorrow – when the Prime Minister visits the city.

John Key met with ministers last night to discuss progress and it is thought that he won’t want to arrive in Christchurch without at least some information for residents.

“We’re keen to get as much information as possible to the people of Christchurch,” he says.

“We know the anxiety levels are high and I want to share. Look it could be this week, but I can’t guarantee it.”

Last week Mr Key and Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said it was blindingly obvious which areas have suffered damage. Mr Key now says they’re close to a final decision.

3 News