Articles by Nick Perry

New Zealand Eyes Revamping Building Standards After November Quake

New Zealand’s government said Friday [March 31] the partial collapse of a modern office building’s interior during an earthquake last November was unacceptable and could have killed people. Minister for Building and Construction Nick Smith said officials will review the …

Magnitude 7.6 Quake, Heavy Waves Strike Solomon Islands

A powerful magnitude-7.6 earthquake triggered large waves in the Solomon Islands on Sunday, and authorities were trying to determine if there was any serious damage or injuries. Government spokesman George Herming said people throughout the Pacific island chain awoke to …

One Year Later, Christchurch Still ‘Safe Haven’ for New Zealand Quake Survivor

Jane Taylor was managing a women’s clothing store in downtown Christchurch a year ago when the earthquake struck. She was dug from the rubble within minutes with horrific injuries — her vertebrae were crushed, her skull was fractured and her …

Building Toppled by New Zealand Quake Was Substandard

A six-story building that collapsed and killed 115 people in last year’s New Zealand earthquake was made of weak columns and concrete and did not meet standards when it was built, the government said Thursday. The building’s designer contested the …

Stricken New Zealand Container Ship May Break Apart or Sink

Salvage crews raced Monday to pump oil from a stricken ship teetering on a reef off the New Zealand coast, while also preparing for the worst: Authorities believe the vessel will break apart or sink soon. The salvage work resumed …

7,500 Earthquakes Shake Resolve in Christchurch, New Zealand

It’s been 10 months since the first big earthquake struck New Zealand’s second-largest city. It’s been nearly five months since a far more devastating one killed 181 people and crippled the downtown. And it’s been just a few hours since …

New Zealand Offers to Pay 5,000 to Leave Quake-Hit Homes

New Zealand’s government said that it will offer to pay thousands of homeowners to leave areas of the country’s second-largest city that were hardest hit by recent earthquakes. Christchurch was struck by a magnitude-7.1 earthquake in September and a devastating …