1500 claims after latest Christchurch quakes

12:13 pm on 31 December 2010

The Earthquake Commission says it has now received over 1500 claims from Christchurch's Boxing Day earthquakes.

Sixty-four were for serious damage.

The biggest in a series of shocks registered magnitude 4.9 but seemed larger because it was close to the city and shallow.

The commission says it expects the number of claims to rise substantially as people return from holiday and find existing damage has worsened or new damage has occurred.

The 1500 claims so far compare with 2800 from the magnitude 5.0 aftershock on 19 October and almost 2000 from the magnitude 4.9 aftershock on 14 November.

The claims bring the total number from the first quake and three main aftershocks to almost 162,000.