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Matt McGeehan/PA Archive/Press Association Images
New Zealand
New Zealand begins implosion of quake-hit buildings
This was the first implosion of a building damaged by a quake, and thousands of people turned out to watch.
NEW ZEALAND HAS begun to demolish buildings damaged by earthquakes.
A six-year-old cancer patient, Jayden Halliwell, pushed the button to start the demolition of Christchurch’s Radio Network House, NZCity reports.
The demolition occurred at 8am New Zealand time today, with explosive charges placed at different points in the building.
According to TVNZ, thousands of people turned out to watch the implosion, which was the first of the buildings damaged by the earthquakes to be demolished in such a way.
It took seven seconds for the 14-storey building to fall.
In February 2011, 185 people died after a huge earthquake struck the city of Christchurch.
The quake measured 6.3 magnitude and was the deadliest disaster recorded in the country since 1931.
(leow626569/Youtube)
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