New Zealand marks Christchurch quake anniversary
February 22, 2021
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern led a tribute to honor the Christchurch earthquake victims on Monday, marking the 10th anniversary of the disaster that claimed 185 lives.
Hundreds of people gathered at a memorial service in the South Island city, where they observed a minute's silence at 12:51 p.m., the time the 6.3 magnitude quake hit in 2011.
"Ten years on there will be people still living their daily lives with the long shadow of that day," Ardern said.
"But as we look ahead to the coming decade, I see hope and energy and optimism," she added.
Remembering the CTV building tragedy
Maan Alkaisi, a representative of Quake Families Trust, also spoke at the memorial. The university professor has spent years campaigning for justice; his wife, Maysoon Abbas, who was among 115 people killed in the collapse of the CTV building.
"Today reminds us of our responsibility to make sure we learn from this tragic experience and honor those lovely people we lost by ensuring their dreams are kept alive, by ensuring this will not happen again," he said.
The six-story office building collapsed and burst into flames after 20 seconds of the quake, claiming the highest number of casualties, including 65 international students.
An official investigation later concluded that the building never should have been built with its poor design. In the years since the disaster, New Zealand has tightened its construction codes.
Honoring Christchurch's Japanese victims
Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel also paid tribute to 28 Japanese people who died in the quake, the largest number of victims from any country outside of New Zealand.
"I especially wanted to mention all the Japanese family members who I last year met in Japan and who so wanted to be here," she said. "We are forever connected by this tragedy and we do not forget you even when we are apart. You are with us in spirit."
Family members and school officials in the northern Japanese city of Toyama held a separate memorial service to honor 12 students who lost their lives, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported.
The 12 Japanese students were having lunch at an English language school for international students when the quake destroyed the building.
fb/rc (AFP, AP)