It is now just over three years on from the Sichuan earthquake in May 2008. The damaged cities and towns have been largely rebuilt. The original estimate of the cost as calculated by the
National Development and Reform Commission was $147 billion.
In New Zealand there have been literally thousands of aftershocks after the second major Canterbury earthquake in February, following the original severe quake in September 2010. These have disrupted recovery work. As assessments are revised, the estimated costs are now projected to rise to as much as $18 billion.
China has huge financial surpluses and a well co-ordinated planning system capable of responding to large scale crises. New Zealand, albeit a developed country, has only 4 million people but it does have one of the lowest public sector debts for a developed country – below 30 percent of GDP. It can afford to borrow money for the reconstruction program, which nevertheless will bring a massive boost to the economy.
The scale of the damage to schools, hospitals, offices and especially homes in Sichuan was enormous. In Christchurch there are thought to be 30,000 domestic houses needing repairs of $80,000 or more.
It is widely felt in New Zealand that the government agencies and the private sector need to roll up their sleeves and pick up some of the energy of the student and farmer volunteers who have helped out in the post quake period.
New Zealand would do well to learn from Sichuan Province in China. The Chinese authorities got involved the minute after the quake, sending 44 mine rescues teams? and seven mine medical teams into the area within hours, followed by fire services, soldiers and other emergency services workers to help the thousands of volunteers pulling their fellow citizens out of the rubble. The highly experienced mine rescue teams saved the first 1,000 people.
Within days the reconstruction effort began, with a three-year completion deadline. This work is now more or less complete, with 92 percent achieved by the end of 2010, two and a half years on from the quake. New Zealanders should watch the uplifting video about the reconstruction of Bailu (White Deer) which has been done beautifully, with a French flavour to the architecture. It is sure to become an even more successful tourist resort. Wenchuan, the biggest town hit by the quake, has also been rebuilt.
New Zealand rescue services and those who came from overseas to assist in Canterbury are second to none. Where improvement is needed is in the response in the aftermath. It is true that, as the coroner’s inquest into the deaths in Christchurch is hearing, there are serious issues to resolve. Why were there no public inspections of the CTV and Pyne Gould Guinness buildings, and many other structures which killed dozens when they fell?
This issue of public inspection has been at the heart of the royal commission into the Pike river mine explosion last November, as well and it seems that New Zealand needs to re-establish a clear line of responsibility for government agencies again. Self regulation is too dangerous.
But the main point is how to revamp the economic mindset. There is no reason at all that we cannot repeat what the Chinese have achieved and in the same timescale. This will result in huge economic multipliers for the whole country, as well as the Canterbury region.
Moreover, other cities in the “shaky isles", which are already reassessing their earthquake prone buildings will learn how better to deal with them. The New Zealand new deal needed to cope with the global economic crisis can be driven by the earthquake project across the country.
One note of caution does linger, however, in comparing the situation with China: The cost of reconstruction in China has been huge and it may be that some of the money would have been better spent elsewhere. Some poorer areas of Sichuan have seen little funding or help. This is something for China itself to evaluate, but also an instructive lesson to New Zealand.
Dave Feickert is a coal mine safety adviser based in Beijing. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn