Earthquake cost soars over $100M

Press, 9 March 1987, Page 1

Earthquake cost soars over $100M

PA Wellington The Earthquake and War Damages Commission expects to pay out about $l5 million in domestic claims and more than $lOO million in commercial claims for damage caused by last week’s Bay of Plenty earthquakes. The deputy chairman of the commission, Mr Bob Fenton, said last evening it now appeared the total value of its liability was between $l3O and $l5O million. Z

More than 3000 claims had been registered, mostly in the domestic sector, and a final total of about 4000 was expected. The Minister of Civil Defence, Mr Tapsell, made his third visit in six

days at the week-end to the earthquake zone.

The earthquake was the fifth disaster to occur in the two years Mr Tapsell has held the Civil Defence portfolio.

He said that in terms of the Civil Defence response, it had been also the best performance by the organisation. “We swung into action very quickly and very efficiently,” he said. Mr Tapsell said there was nothing wrong with the national framework of Civil Defence.

However, some local authorities had still not faced up to their responsibilities and would be caught “with their pants down” if a disaster came to their area.

Contact was almost lost between Government Ministers in Wellington and disaster headquarters in Rotorua after the earthquake last Monday. Mr Tapsell said that telephone lines between Rotorua and Wellington had become clogged at the peak hour and it had been difficult to maintain contact.

A way would have to be found in future for keeping some lines free after a disaster, so that the Prime Minister and other Ministers could always be quickly contacted, he said.

However, he commended the regional Civil Defence controller in Bay of Plenty, Mr John Lepper, and his staff for conducting a difficult exercise extremely well.