Quake effort moves to recovery phase

9:53 pm on 3 March 2011

Civil Defence has moved from rescue to recovery efforts, saying there is almost no chance of finding anyone alive in buildings wrecked by the devastating Christchurch earthquake.

Civil Defence national controller John Hamilton made the announcement on Thursday afternoon "with considerable sorrow and frustration".

The official death toll from the 6.3-magnitude quake on 22 February now stands at 161. Officials say the final toll could be as high as 240.

Mr Hamilton said the effort by the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams in the devastated central city buildings has been "intense, thorough and very careful", using skilled New Zealand and overseas teams.

He said it has been a very difficult and challenging task and the teams had put in their very best effort to rescue 70 people from the rubble - the last known survivor on 23 February.

"As time has gone on, the chances of finding others alive has diminished. Sadly, there becomes a point where the response effort has to shift from rescue to the recovery of bodies - and regrettably, we have reached that point.

"We now face the reality that there is no chance that anyone could have survived this long and efforts have to shift to the recovery of loved-ones and their return to their families.

"We cannot ever rule out the possibility, however small, of a miracle survivor and all sites will be treated accordingly. However, we need to be realistic and we need to help families through what is now a grim reality."

The Fire Service's head of special operations, Jim Stuart-Black, says rescue teams will now focus on clearing debris and deconstructing damaged buildings.

Work will continue at prominent sites, including Christchurch Cathedral and the CTV, Forsyth Barr and PGC buildings.

Mr Black says while it is highly unlikely there are any survivors trapped in the rubble, they will conduct their recovery operations with the same care as before.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says recovery workers are still aiming to reunite everyone who is missing after the quake and, until everyone has been accounted for, there will be no lessening of the effort.

On Thursday police released the names of two men from Israel killed in the quake. They were: Ofer Levy, 22, and Gabi Moshe Ingel, 23. Seven more victims have been identified, but no further details were being released until all family members have been notified.

National memorial to be held

Prime Minister John Key extended his sympathies to the families of those who are missing, saying it is a very sad day for them and all involved in the rescue effort who valiantly searched for signs of life.

"As a nation we are all aware that as the last nine days have worn on, the chances of those who have been caught up in this terrible tragedy of being found alive were decreasing.

"But all of us held on to hope that there would be a miracle. Sadly, today's announcement confirms that we must now confront the permanence of that loss."

Mr Key said a national memorial service to honour those killed will be held in Christchurch in coming weeks.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said New Zealanders are acutely aware of the death of more than 100 overseas visitors and students from at least 20 countries and the Government will do all it can to help the families.

He thanked international rescue teams, saying New Zealand did not have the capacity to deal with the disaster alone and the country has felt supported by the generosity of its neighbours and friends.

Mr McCully says there is still a need for significant international help. The Japanese government has made available its USAR team and a "very substantial amount" of support has already been accepted from Australia.

Cathedral shored up

USAR teams are to search for bodies trapped in the spire of Christchurch Cathedral after a steel reinforcing structure was attached on Thursday morning.

The structure has allowed crews to begin taking away beams from the top of the bell tower, Superintendent Russell Gibson said.

About 20 people are thought to be have been in the Cathedral when the quake struck.

Teams have almost finished a sweep of the unstable Hotel Grand Chancellor which has been shored up. The Fire Service says some of the stairs in the building have collapsed and is hindering the search.

The Fire Service says the search of the Pyne Gould building should be finished by Friday evening or Saturday morning, while teams at the Forsyth Bar building will now be working around the clock.

USAR teams at the building say the stairway has pancaked and they will need to break through a wall to continue the search.

Meanwhile, police made another arrest inside the CBD cordon overnight on Wednesday for burglary.

Superintendent Gibson says he is staggered that people are still trying to do such things - considering the huge number of officers and army around.