Residents warned not to take risks within cordon

Christchurch Cathedral. Photo / Paul Harper

Residents allowed into parts of Christchurch's central business district cordon today are being warned not to break into yellow stickered-buildings.

Zones one and two to the east and west of the city centre opened to residents, business owners and property owners with photo identification and proof of address from 8am.

The general public may collect cars parked in these zones from 2pm.

Evan Harris of Colliers Property Management told Newstalk ZB he had seen people putting their lives in danger by going into yellow-stickered buildings.

A yellow placard means the building has limited access and further structural assessment is needed by the owner's consultants.

Mr Harris said some yellow-stickered buildings were yesterday secured to stop people entering them but people had been breaking into premises to reach their offices.

He said there were still live wires in some of the buildings.

Entry points to zone one are on Moorhouse Avenue (at intersections between Antigua and Durham Streets) and Antigua Street (between Moorhouse Avenue and Oxford Terrace), while zone two can be accessed from Fitzgerald Avenue (between Kilmore Street and Ferry Road).

Click here for a map of the zones or go to the Civil Defence website for more details.

Police said they would not tolerate "disaster tourists" heading into the central city.

Superintendent Sam Hoyle told Radio New Zealand that people with genuine reasons to enter the zones would have to be patient, with police and Defence Force personnel manning the cordon entry points.

Access to zones three and four to the north, and the central red zone where recovery efforts continue, remain restricted.

The council is looking into how vehicles will be removed from these zones, with a plan expected Tuesday.

A Herald reporter said the newly opened zones of the CBD appeared to have been cleaned up overnight, with street cleaners on the roads.

Residents react

Resident Stu McMaster who has been staying with friends was excited to get back to his home inside the zone but nervous about what condition the house would be in.

"I'm not spending the night, just want to get some valuables," he said.

He was unsure if he was able to stay at the house or whether he would necessarily go back there.

Amongst the frustrated was consulting business owner Graeme Reid, who arrived early and was stopped from entering the zone.

"I have a business in town and I'm beyond belief that seven minutes was too early to get in," he said.

"It's quite safe to go into many places, bit it's this ...political correctness.

Adventure travel company owner Chris Mercer thought she would find a lot glass and books on the floor at her business.

"We are just keen to get cleaned up and get back to business."

Mechanic Rick Crosbie said he was "scared" but "relieved" he would be able to see his business.

"I don't know what's going to happen until I get in there and see what the building is like.

"I'm worried about getting customers' cars."

Flooding

Police were closely monitoring several Christchurch suburbs overnight as surface flooding made some roads impassable in Bromley, Avondale, St Martins and Dallington.

However, the rain had eased by this morning and a high spring tide at 6.20am did not cause flooding as feared in suburbs bordered by the Avon River.

Police this morning reiterated calls for drivers to be cautious as the surface flooding receded.

Superintendent Sandra Manderson said anyone driving large vehicles or trucks should travel at slow speed in the affected areas, to prevent backwash flowing into any of the suburban houses.

Death toll at 166

Police this morning lifted the death toll from February 22's quake by one, to 166.

The total toll is likely to be less than initially feared, after police yesterday announced that no bodies were found in the rubble of the iconic Christchurch Cathedral, where up to 22 people were thought to have been crushed.

Searchers described as "surreal" the moment they realised there were no victims among the rubble of the cathedral at the heart of the city, despite witnesses reporting nearly two dozen were thought to be in the building when it collapsed.

The cathedral's Dean, Very Reverend Peter Beck, said he cried when he heard the news.

The announcement buoyed spirits in the city, but nerves were again tested last night as residents suffered through seven more big tremors in about three and a half hours.

4.8 aftershock

A magnitude 4.8 aftershock at 7.34pm was sharp enough to unsettle many residents, whose nerves have already been frayed by all the death, destruction and frequent aftershocks.

Superintendent Sandra Manderson said the Forsyth Barr building suffered some additional damage, especially broken windows.

She said there was already so much damage in the inner city, it was hard to tell what additional damage has occurred.

The sharp jolt was followed by six more shocks of magnitudes of up to 3.8. Most were close to Lyttleton and at shallow and medium depths.

GNS Science said there had been two aftershocks in the Christchurch area since midnight.

The latest was a 3.5 magnitude quake at 9am. It was centred 10km north-east of Lyttelton at a depth of 5km.

- NZHERALD STAFF, NZPA