The Earthquake Commission (EQC) in New Zealand is well ahead of schedule with it’s assessment of damaged property, the commission reports.
The EQC expected to finish assessment at the end of this year, but instead say they are already finished and can move on to the surrounding areas.
EQC’s Canterbury Event Manager Reid Stiven says he is pleased with the news.
“Assessment teams will begin assessments of houses [outside the Canterbury area] as we seek to wrap up all South Island earthquake claims.
“Assessments were originally set to begin in early 2012, but I’m confident that with progress on Christchurch assessments so well advanced, assessors will be able to start visiting houses further afield before Christmas.”
The large earthquakes in September 2010 and February and March 2011 caused extensive damage and brought claims from well outside the hardest hit area of Canterbury.
The EQC says it received about 2000 claims from outside Canterbury, mainly in Otago, over three hours away.
Mr Stiven says he expects assessment outside of Canterbury and Christchurch to be wrapped up before Christmas.
