Christchurch Day 5
From the TV New Zealand Live Updates for Day Five:
3:15am Recap
USAR has completed its initial search of the CBD except for the cordoned off area near the unstable Grand Chancellor Hotel.
The number of missing is 226 with a confirmed death toll of 113. The names of six victims have been released.
80% of Christchurch homes now have power.
They are shifting to the recovery phase, as the chance of finding anyone in the rubble is fading with every hour. They still can’t go near several buildings because they are sinking in the quicksand beneath them.
They are starting to form groups to clear debris by hand because it isn’t certain where the ground will support the weight of large machinery. Some structures have already been taken down, because they were too unstable in their post-quake condition, and the aftershocks are continuing.
