Disasters boost NZ death numbers

Photo / NZ Herald

The number of yearly deaths has increased, boosted in the last year by the Pike River Coal mine disaster and the Christchurch earthquake, Statistics New Zealand figures released today show.

The 29 deaths at Pike River on November 19 more than doubled to around 60 the yearly number of deaths in the male working age group (15-64) on the West Coast in the March 2011 year, up from 30 in the previous period, said population statistics manager Andrea Blackburn.

Christchurch's deadly February 22 earthquake claimed 181 lives.

The figures show that 140 Cantabrians died on the day of the quake, compared with 10 on the same date last year.

Canterbury recorded 4470 deaths in the year to March, up 300 from 4170 in the previous period but not all of the increase could be directly attributed to the earthquake.

In the first three months of this year the number of deaths in Canterbury either side of the February 22 quake was increasing.

Before the quake 580 Cantabrians died, up 50, or 9 per cent, on the same period in 2010, while between February 23 and March 21, 310 Cantabrians died, up 60, or 26 per cent.

Statistics NZ says the number of deaths was gradually increasing because there were more older people, partly offset by longer life expectancy.

Nationally, 29,110 deaths were registered during the March 2011 year, up 260 from 28,840 in 2010.

However, despite the increasing number of deaths, there was a natural population increase of 34,080 as 63,180 live births were recorded.

By 2029 it was predicted 40,000 people would die each year, rising to 50,000 in 2042.

- NZPA