Central city demolitions close

3:00 pm on 15 June 2011

Officials in Christchurch are to authorise the demolition of scores of buildings in the central city, beginning in the next two to three days.

Some 147 buildings in the red zone were damaged in the magnitude 5.6 and 6.3 earthquakes on Monday and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority says more than 100 need to be demolished.

Demolitions manager Warwick Isaac says it is likely that demolition of more than 100 buildings will begin in the next two or three days, so the red zone can be reopened.

CERA will try to contact owners before the demolition gets underway, he says.