New Zealand: Christchurch and Canterbury earthquakes 2010-2011

Pamela Boykoff from CNN looks at the economic impact of natural hazards further to data released by Statistics New Zealand that reveal an 0.8% increase in the economy during the quarter in which the Christchurch earthquake hit this year. She highlights a report by the World Bank on the subject...

The earthquakes that struck Christchurch and northern Honsu earlier this year offer lessons to be learned. What could have been done to prevent or mitigate the damage? What can similar locations around the world learn? These stories and many more can be found in the June issue of EARTH...

In a speech delivered a few days ago, Maria Otero, US Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs described the three ways that her country is implementing disaster risk reduction at home and and around the world...

In a statement on the recent earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand, the IAEE says earthquake engineers serve humanity by providing rational and affordable tools for protection from the seismic peril, but these tools are in constant need of being refined...

According to the reinsurance company, Willis Re, the total economic loss of first the quarter's disasters including the Japan, Chile and New Zealand earthquakes and the Australian floods, has significantly increased the likelihood of a market-wide turn should reinsurers be tested again this year...

Zurich Financial Services Group today announced that it currently estimates aggregate claims of approximately USD 500 million for the five natural catastrophes that have hit the Asia-Pacific region since the beginning of the year...

According to Swiss Re’s latest sigma study, worldwide economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters were USD 218 billion in 2010, more than triple the 2009 figure of USD 68 billion. Approximately 304 000 people died in these events, the highest number since 1976...

'A great weakness has been horribly exposed' writes Dallas Graham in an editorial for the Guardian UK, on the prospect of rebuilding the Anglican cathedral in the heart of Christchurch. 'Despite our need for national optimism, a stone building in Christchurch can never again be regarded as safe'...

Being asked why city's inspectors had not realised the buildings that collapsed were vulnerable, Christchurch deputy mayor Ngaire Button replied 'The question hanging over our heads in Canterbury is: are there others... Are any of the buildings safe? Where can we go where we feel safe?', reports the ICFI in its analysis of the situation...

For many people social network site Twitter was among the earliest to provide on the scene reaction to today's big 6.3 magnitude Christchurch earthquake, reports the Sydney Morning Herald...