Volunteers won't clear red-stickered homes

Photo / APN

Farmers organising volunteers to help clean up silt from Christchurch houses and schools say the workers will not remove silt from "red-stickered" homes, unless specifically asked to by local authorities.

Some red stickers have been put on buildings assessed as unsafe to occupy and needing demolition.

Federated Farmers also warned volunteers that this time they would not be operating under a civil defence emergency, and private property should only be entered if permission was granted.

Volunteers have been asked to not only bring shovels and wheelbarrows, but mechanical diggers, loaders and trailers.

Federated Farmers met the Christchurch City Council, Fulton Hogan, City Care and the Student Volunteer Army (SVA) today to co-ordinate the silt removal from 7am on Saturday.

The clean-up after Monday's 6.3 magnitude aftershock -- the third big tremor in nine months -- will run through to June 24, from the Canterbury Park Showgrounds.

Rain will not stop the clean-up, and if heavy rainfall coincides with high tides, some workers will be diverted to sand bagging areas where river stop banks have been compromised.

Volunteers were advised to bring their own packed lunch and bottled water, in addition to gloves and gumboots, but the farmers called for food donations to provide meals for out-of-town helpers.

About 270,000 tonnes of silt were removed after the February 22 aftershocks.

- NZPA