Quake-hit town sets up cordons to stop sightseers

10:27 pm on 11 September 2010

The earthquake-stricken town of Kaiapoi is clamping down on rubber-neckers as it deals with widespread water and sewage problems.

Residents have run out of patience with sightseers, saying they are making them feel like a freak show.

The police set up three cordons in Kaiapoi and one in the beachside settlements of Pines Beach and Kairaki on Saturday, turning away anyone who is not a resident or who is not arriving on official business.

Portable motorway signs have been installed before the exits to the town, flashing an urgent message: access to Kaiapoi to residents only.

Hundreds of Kaiapoi residents remain without water and up to a third of the town, which has a population of about 11,000, has no sewerage.

Instead, there are more than 200 port-a-loos on Kaiapoi streets. Civil defence people are appealing to people not to clog them with paper and plastic bags, which is an emerging problem.

Officials say water should be restored to everyone within 24 hours.

Hundreds of volunteers are still working to clear silty damp soil caused by liquefaction.

Civil Defence inspectors were checking about 1000 properties on Saturday to see if they are fit to be lived in.