One Year Later: Christchurch Earthquake
Twelve months ago on February 22, 2011 a 6.3 magnitude earthquake claimed the lives of 185 people and damaged major parts of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand.
To mark this one year anniversary, staff and volunteers of the New Zealand Red Cross took part in a variety of memorial events as a reminder of the many losses people faced.
Although a year has passed, the New Zealand Red Cross continues to support relief efforts in the Canterbury region. The earthquake led to the largest relief and recovery program in the history of the New Zealand Red Cross which has so far helped 76,463 affected individuals and households.
The Canadian Red Cross worked closely with the New Zealand Red Cross to contribute to the emergency relief efforts and raised $394,969 in response to the earthquake.
The Red Cross continues to support affected people in Christchurch through continual support to address long term recovery needs. A specialized team with the New Zealand Red Cross has been set up to develop and deliver programs for the next three to five years. Outreach volunteers are visiting people in their homes especially the lonely and the elderly. They are also working to link vulnerable people with agencies that can help them.
To visit the New Zealand Red Cross website click here.
To find out more about how the generous donations enabled the New Zealand Red Cross to assist with response and recovery click here.
