Christchurch earthquake: What's working and what's not | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

Here is the current situation after Saturday's earthquake

Water

Some outlying areas are still without water. Inner-city residents are being asked to save water by not flushing the toilet as there are fears the city's water infrastructure may have been damaged. There are also concerns the sewerage system may have been damaged.

Power

Mayor Bob Parker says electricity is being slowly restored to the city but power is still out from Rakaia, 60km southwest of Christchurch, to the Waimakariri River, north of the city, and across the Canterbury Plains, through to the foothills of the southern alps.

Roads

At least 20 roads had been damaged and some are impassable in parts of Christchurch. Street surfaces have risen up into a peak in the middle of some roads, while craters have filled with water from ruptured mains.

Among the affected streets are Hills Rd in Shirley and others in the suburb of St Albans.

In other areas roads have been blocked by debris after several buildings collapsed onto the streets, leaving their interiors visible and the central city resembling a war zone.

Traffic lights are still not working in several places around the central city, creating gridlock as the traffic flow increases.

Phone lines

Telecom - services continue to stand up well. As elements of the mobile network are running on battery back up, Telecom is urging its customers to reserve power on the network and use mobiles for emergency calls only. Use of mobile phones for sending images and video from the area should be minimised. 111 services are fully available.

Vodafone - the network is working at full strength, but electricity is the biggest threat to service as parts of the region remain without power. Vodafone is advising customers to keep cellphone calls short or preferably use text messages.

2degrees - four of its cellsites are down. Most sites are now running of emergency power. 2degrees is urging customers to preserve battery life.

Airport

All flights have been cancelled until further notice.

Hospitals

All Christchurch hospitals are operational. Christchurch Hospital spokeswoman Michelle Hider has asked residents with minor injuries to go to 24-hour surgeries for treatment rather than the hospital.

Food

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) has issued advice to protect people from foodborne illnesses in the wake of this morning's quake:
* minimise food and water spoilage
* focus on hygiene
* use safe cooking and washing water
* ensure food is safe