USAR UPDATE

· Forsyth Barr building - work is continuing on clearing the stairwell. This work is around 60 percent complete.

· Multi-agency teams including New Zealand and international USAR team members, firefighters and police have today been continuing controlled deconstruction and debris clearance. This includes includes assessing and clearing smaller red and yellow stickered buildings, both within the central city and in the suburbs. More than 500 buildings have now been cleared.

· From tomorrow, each of the multi-agency teams will include a welfare representative from the Ministry of Social Development to provide advice and assistance to home owners.

· As noted this morning, Civil Defence is the main point of contact for inquiries about buildings.

· The UK USAR team – of 70 members – is departing Christchurch this evening. We thank them for their huge contribution to the rescue and recovery effort here – and for responding so quickly in our time of need.

Fire

· The Fire Service continues to help residents facing weather-related problems, such as putting tarpaulins on damaged roofs. Today we have responded to around 55 calls in relation to earthquake damage – including in the eastern suburbs, St Aubans, Opawa, St Martins, Sumner and Lyttleton.

· Residents who need help with damaged roofs or chimneys should contact us by phoning 111 – ask for the Fire Service. We will prioritise your call and respond as soon as possible.

· Again, we’d like to emphasise the importance of being very careful about fire risks when electricity and gas are reconnected.

· The fire ban remains in place.

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