Christchurch disaster

Ham radio has stepped into gear again

Text below is from http://www.southgatearc.org/news/march2011/christchurch_quake_0503.htm

The Christchurch earthquake story latest- 4/03/2011

Still playing a role after the earthquake that hit the Christchurch area of New Zealand since Tuesday 22 February, swinging into action from day one.

The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC) reports that until today’s movement from a rescue to a recovery phase all engagement had been with rescue teams.

AREC spokesman Stuart Smart ZL4FZ says, "At this stage we are still extensively supporting the urban rescue operation.

“There are about 250 staff in the field and all of that communication is coming back through AREC."

AREC members are trained for such disasters and are a part of the normal response under arrangements with New Zealand Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

Its operations have been confined to VHF frequencies and avoided use of HF channels identified for that purpose.

The Christchurch Mayor Bob Chapman announced the switch to the recovery phase with death toll of 161 and 200 missing.

Some 67% of affected people have had water supplies restored, and even fewer are reconnected to the sewer, while 27,000 are without power.

The Minister of Civil Defence declared a State of National Emergency which has been extended until midnight 7 March.

Jim Linton VK3PC

Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Committee

Text below is from http://www.southgatearc.org/news/february2011/christchurch_a_day_on.htm

Christchurch disaster a day on

The death toll stands at 75, dozens yet to be rescued from beneath building rubble, and hundreds of people still missing are still the desperate scene 24 hours after an earthquake struck the Christchurch area of New Zealand.

The massive rescue effort that now involves 300 rescuers boosted by urban experts from Australia has rescued 20 people so far and Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said a pocket of 15 had been found in the TV3 building, the heart of local television production.

A small team of amateur radio operators are keeping the lines of communication open in earthquake-hit areas of Christchurch.

AREC team member Richard Smart ZL4FZ said 10 radio amateurs are using their two emergency broadcast vans to keep rescue teams and Civil Defence staff in touch.

He said one is at a major welfare centre providing portable communication so they can talk to Civil Defence and the other vehicle is en-route to assist search and rescue teams in an area where communication is poor.

Richard ZL4FZ said amateur radio operators from around the country are volunteering to help out and others are sending updates on the disaster to families of people in Christchurch who are overseas.

Former NZART Vice President Stuart Watchman ZL2TW was attending a medical conference and lucky to escape. He told how his hotel swayed and crumbled, managed to free himself and others only to find devastation outdoors and the adjoining building leaning threatening to collapse.

Meantime under normal arrangements, the members of Amateur Radio Emergency Communication (AREC) were busy. Check out the NZART website under “What and Who is AREC”. A report on the frequencies in use or activities has yet to be received.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said a State of Emergency continued and those in the affected areas needed to keep their resolve and good spirits as the whole country was right behind them. He acknowledged the support already given and being offered from overseas.

The earthquake disaster bill of last September (7.1 at a depth of more than 30 metres) was put at $8 billion but the latest quake (6.3 and at a depth of just five kilometres) could be double that amount.

Christchurch and its surrounding areas account for 500,000 people, about half the population of the South Island of New Zealand.

Jim Linton VK3PC

Chairman

IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

David ZL3AI has highlighted this APRS map link that shows AREC vehicle trackers (ZK9xxx and PATROLxxx) plus earthquake locations as well as other trackers

Click here to view aprs in Christchurch