By DPA,
Wellington : Nine days after a huge earthquake shattered Christchurch, officials formally abandoned the search for survivors Thursday, declaring the rescue operation was now a matter of recovering bodies.
“As time has gone on, the chance of finding someone alive has diminished,” civil defence national controller John Hamilton told a news conference.
“Sadly, there becomes a point where the response effort shifts in focus from rescue to body recovery.
“We have now reached that point.”
A total of 161 people have been confirmed dead, although police say the final toll is likely to be about 240.
Foreign Minister Murray McCully told reporters they included up to 100 foreigners from 20 countries, mainly students studying English.
Hamilton said that since the magnitude-6.3 earthquake Feb 22, nearly 600 searchers had rescued 70 people alive, but the last was on the afternoon of the next day.
“We now face the reality that there is no chance that anyone could have survived this long.”
The families of those missing were personally informed of the decision, he said.
Many residents of New Zealand’s second largest city remain without electricity, water or access to toilets and although public buses resumed a free service Thursday, transport is difficult because of the damage done to roads.
Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said that people would start to be allowed back into the cordoned city centre, where more than 50,000 people usually worked every day, for the first time Friday to collect belongings and abandoned vehicles.
Prime Minister John Key said Wednesday that one-third of commercial buildings in the central city may have to be demolished and it could remain closed to the public until Christmas. It could 15 years to rebuild the commercial centre, he said.