Police have this afternoon confirmed the identities of a further six people who died in the Christchurch earthquake.
They are Marina Arai, 19, of Japan.
* Valquin Descalsota Bensurto, 23, of the Philippines.
* Adrienne Meredith, 36, of Christchurch
* Yoko Suzuki, 31, of Japan
*
Tao Wang, 29, of China
* Didem Yaman, 31, of Turkey
University of Otago PhD student Didem Yaman was visiting her friend Sisi Xin in Avonside when the earthquake hit.
Just before lunch on February 22, a neighbour saw the pair walking into town.
The 31-year-old political science student, originally from Turkey, was a "citizen of the world" and had been living in Dunedin for three-and-a-half years, her friend Sumana Islam said.
"She's a very warm, kind and generous person. She's travelled, she loves movies and dancing. She was very close to handing in her thesis - she's just a very popular person."
Police have also confirmed Ms Xin died in the earthquake.
Valquin Bensurto was a Filipino nurse who was studying English at the King's Education language school in the CTV building, one of the worst-hit in February's earthquake.
- NZ Herald staff
