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A cyclist wears a mask to protect himself from dust caused by last week's 6.3 magnitude earthquake. AP Photo/Mark Baker
New Zealand
Christchurch braces for high winds as earthquake recovery continues
The death toll has officially reached 159, but police say it could eventually be as high as 240.
PEOPLE IN CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, are being advised to wear masks when outdoors today as winds of up to 70km per hour are expected to sweep across the earthquake-devastated city.
Authorities have warned that the wind could cause health problems when blowing dust from earthquake debris, the New Zealand Herald reports.
The official death toll from last Tuesday’s earthquake now stands at 159, although police said earlier that the final number of victims could be around 240. It may not be possible to recover all of the bodies from the most damaged buildings.
City inspectors have been working through the suburbs to check the structural damage to every property.
The Civil Defence said 66 per cent of the city’s water supplies have returned, but are still advising people to boil their drinking water before consumption. A total fire ban remains in place due to the risk of high winds today and people are being advised not to swim in the sea due to sewage contamination.
The cost of the earthquake is expected to reach €10.8bn, according to the BBC, and Prime Minister John Keys said it had serious economic implications for the country.
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