Canterbury earthquake update

The Salvation Army’s recovery work is Christchurch is now focusing on the year ahead.

A manager, to oversee and coordinate Salvation Army assistance to affected communities over the next 12 months, will be recruited in the coming weeks.

Corporate and public donations to The Salvation Army Canterbury Earthquake Appeal – both received and pledged – now total more than $2.2 million.

The Salvation Army is now considering a range of longer-term aid. These include providing assistance of up $500 to each family known to have been impacted by the quake, to help make Christmas a less stressful time. Also under consideration are grants for household items for those who have lost property in the quake, and relocation assistance for families and the elderly.

Up to 2000 houses in Canterbury have been deemed uninhabitable, 5000 homes are estimated to cost more than $100,000 to repair and 50,000 homes have damage assessed as costing between $10,000 and $100,000 to fix. About 5000 homes were uninsured.

Suburbs like Brooklands, Pine Beach and Karaka Beach are unlikely to be connected to a working sewage system for 12 months and residents of Avonside could have to wait 18 months to be connected.

The Salvation Army and volunteers from Westpac and World Vision New Zealand have distributed 7000 parcels, containing food, cleaning and hygiene products, confectionery and information on Salvation Army services, to homes in the worst hit communities. Southern Division headquarters reports that these care packages have been very well received with a stream of phone calls and emails from recipients offering their thanks.

Demand for psychosocial support is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The last group of Australian counsellors will complete their work in Canterbury on October 26. New Zealand counsellors will continue to be available.

Last week, counsellors worked with 916 people in the worst-hit suburbs – a growing number of these contacts are more intensive consultations.