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Images of the impact of quakes in Canterbury on December 23 - Source: ONE News -
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Less than a month out from the first anniversary of Canterbury's devastating February earthquake, the region has reached a significant milestone.
Just over 10,000 earthquakes and aftershocks have hit the region
since the first major shake in September over a year ago.
According to the Christchurch quake map run by the University of
Canterbury, the shake hit between Prebbleton and Halswell yesterday
afternoon.
More shakes hit the region overnight.
And a sizeable magnitude 4 quake hit shortly before 6am this morning and a 3.4 magnitude quake struck before 10am this morning.
Criticism over lack of notice
Meanwhile, the Government is being criticised for a lack of communication over earthquake-damaged homes that are set to be demolished.
It comes as the clearance of red zone properties purchased by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) began in the Christchurch suburb of Bexley yesterday morning.
A trial cluster of 11 homes, which sustained extensive damage in the quakes, will be cleared over a four week period, a prelude to the 5000 homes bought by the Government which will eventually be demolished.
The homes are in some of the area's worst hit streets, including Seabreeze Close and Waireka Lane.
While the properties are owned by the Government, it is emerging that former homeowners have not been informed that the demolitions are imminent.
Hugh Derham told TV ONE's Breakfast that he first learned his old home was about to be demolished when he was approached by a ONE News reporter on Friday.
"I've had no official communication whatsoever about the house being demolished."
Derham says that the process has meaning for him.
"You go through a whole range of emotions, and then you end up selling to the Government.
"It is the Government's property after all, but there's still a lot of you left in the house. It would be nice to have been told, because I'm going to go and take photographs."
Derham's grandchildren have also said that they want to see the demolition work, and will visit the property, he said.
Speaking to Breakfast, Prime Minister John Key said that enquiries will be made into the process.
But he says that for many of the former owners, who have built
or bought new homes, they're likely to have moved on.