The Canterbury earthquakes in New Zealand started with a moment magnitude 7.1 earthquake on 4 September 2010 at 4:35 am with an epicentre near Darfield. It caused widespread damage and was followed by several aftershocks, including a magnitude 4.7 earthquake on Boxing Day 2010, and a magnitude 6.2 earthquake on 22 February 2011. The February earthquake had a much closer epicentre to the Christchurch city centre and was the most destructive and deadly earthquake of the entire sequence, causing 185 fatalities. Major events following this include a M6.0 earthquake in June 2011, a few earthquakes in December 2011 and a magnitude 5.7 earthquake in February 2016. The unrelated 2016 Kaikōura earthquake occurred in November and caused further damage to Canterbury, but is not included in this timeline as it is not a part of the sequence.
2010
September
4 September 4:35 am – The magnitude 7.1 2010 Canterbury earthquake strikes with an epicentre near Darfield. 4:37 am – A magnitude 5.8 aftershock occurs. 4:37 am – A magnitude 5.1 aftershock occurs. 4:38 am – A magnitude 5.4 aftershock occurs. 4:38 am – A magnitude 5.2 aftershock occurs. 4:39 am – A magnitude 5.3 aftershock occurs. 4:43 am – A magnitude 5.1 aftershock occurs. 4:44 am – A magnitude 5.4 aftershock occurs. 4:52 am – A magnitude 5.5 aftershock occurs. 4:59 am – A magnitude 5.5 aftershock occurs. 5:18 am – A magnitude 5.0 aftershock occurs. 7 am – The National Crisis Management Centre under the Beehive is activated. 8:30 am – Power is restored to Kaiapoi and Shirley. 10 am – A state of emergency is declared in Canterbury. 10:30 am – St John has received a total of 687 calls. 1:30 pm – Christchurch Airport reopens. 3 pm – A portable repeater station is placed on the Port Hills to provide VHF communications due to unreliable electrical and phone lines. 3:30 pm – 70% of Christchurch gains power again. 4 pm – Residents of Christchurch Central City are told to be evacuated. 6 pm – Residents of Selwyn, especially those in Rolleston, are asked to conserve water after the supply got contaminated. 7 pm – Contact Energy says that gas is safe to be used. 7:00 pm – A curfew is enacted and lasts until 7:00 am the following day. 7:30 pm – Power is restored to 90% of urban Christchurch. 5 September 8:30 am – 85% of Christchurch has water supply. 10 am – Christchurch pay phones become free for local, national and international calls. 11 am – KiwiRail finishes transporting 280,000 litres of water from Temuka to Ashburton. 11 am – The council starts inspecting buildings within the cordon. 6 September The government gives $5 million to what became the Red Cross Canterbury Earthquake Commission Fund. 11:40 pm – A magnitude 5.0 aftershock occurs. 7 September Two families are reported to have contracted gastroenteritis. It is not immediately clear whether or not these were caused by a contaminated water supply. Queen Elizabeth II sends a message to the prime minister, which asks to send her good wishes to those affected by the earthquake and those helping with the recovery. Gerry Brownlee is made the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery. The government allocates $15 million to a new wage support subsidy announced on this date, to help businesses in Canterbury with less than 20 employees. 8 September 7:49 am – A magnitude 4.7 aftershock occurs. Measured peak ground accelerations range from 13%g to 25%g. The Minister of Social Development pledges $2.5 million for giving earthquake victims counselling. The Christchurch water boil notice is lifted after over 500 tests return negative. 9 September Applications for wage subsidies open for people who lost work due to the earthquake. Allan Baird is appointed Rural Emergency Coordinator for the Canterbury area to assist with the recovery of rural farm properties. 13 September
Hon Clayton Cosgrove is appointed as the Labour Party spokesperson for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery. Most schools in Canterbury reopen. The others stay closed due to earthquake damage. E. coli is detected in the Kaiapoi water supply. 10 Salvation Army trauma counsellors arrive from Australia. 14 September – The Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act 2010 receives royal assent. 15 September The Minister of Energy and Resources announces a programme which gives free heaters to those who lost their fireplaces or logburners in the earthquake. 16 September The Canterbury state of emergency is lifted. Seven new orders and regulations come into force. 17 September – The government pledges $10 million for the restoration of heritage buildings. 20 September – Cabinet approves the delay of three welfare reforms until 1 March 2011. 21 September – Police charge a demolition digger driver for an alleged attack on an engineer on 15 September after being asked to stop working. 23 September – The Canterbury Earthquake (Historic Places Act) Order 2010 takes into effect. 24 September – The members of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Commission are announced by the Hon Gerry Brownlee. 27 September – The Canterbury Earthquake (Social Security Act) Order 2010 takes into effect. October October – The Earthquake Commission publishes the stage 1 Darfield Earthquake 4 September 2010 Geotechnical Land Damage Assessment & Reinstatement Report. Darfield Earthquake 4 September 2010 – Stage 1 Geotechnical Land Damage Assessment & Reinstatement Report. 4 October By this date, GeoNet has recorded a total of 1,400 aftershocks in Canterbury. The wage support subsidy for small businesses is extended by four weeks. A regulation and order takes into effect. These are the Canterbury Earthquake (Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act) Order 2010 and the Earthquake Commission Amendment Regulations 2010. 19 October 11:32 am – A magnitude 4.8 aftershock occurs. Measured peak ground accelerations range from 7%g to 17%g. Demolition begins on Manchester Courts. 23 October – The benefit concert Band Together is held.
November 14 November – A magnitude 4.7 earthquake occurs at 1:34 am. Initially there were no reports of damage, but damage claims rose to 1,996 by 14 January. 30 November – The Earthquake Commission publishes the stage 2 Geotechnical land damage assessment and reinstatement report.
December
6 December – The Earthquake Commission's claim deadline has been reached. It has received a total of 160,641 claims, and has paid out $450 million for 60,686 claims.
26 December 10:30 am – A shallow local magnitude 4.9 aftershock occurs. Known as the Boxing Day earthquake, it is followed by a swarm of shallow and strong aftershocks, and causes further building damage, power outages, and water supply issues. Measured peak ground accelerations range from 22%g to 35%g. Noon – Power is restored to the approximate 40,000 properties that lost power. 28 December – The restaurant of Trinity Congregational Church reopens.
2011
January
6 January – By this date, the Earthquake Commission has received 165,203 claims for the 4 September, 19 October, 14 November and Boxing Day earthquakes. 14 January – It is reported that the Earthquake Commission has received 6895 claims for the Boxing Day earthquake. 19 January – Damage claims for the 19 October aftershock are due. 20 January – A magnitude 4.8 aftershock occurs at 6:03 am. Late January – Demolition of Manchester Courts is finished.
February
12 February – A re-run of Boxing Day sales is held in Christchurch to compensate for lost revenue caused by the Boxing Day aftershock. 14 February Ken Ring tweets an earthquake prediction for 18 February, plus and minus three days. This gathers media attention after the earthquake on 22 February occurred. Damage claims for the 14 November aftershock are due. 17 February By this date, the Earthquake Commission has received 181,107 claims. The government's Temporary Accommodation Allowance is made available. 18 February – By this date, the Earthquake Commission has paid out $740 million. 21 February – Four Canterbury Earthquake Temporary Accommodation Service offices open, in Christchurch, Linwood, Papanui, and Kaiapoi.
22 February
12:51pm – A magnitude 6.2 earthquake strikes, which results in 185 deaths. The CTV Building collapses. The National Crisis Management Centre is activated. 1:04 pm – A magnitude 5.5 aftershock occurs. A state of emergency is declared in Christchurch. 2:50 pm – A magnitude 5.6 aftershock occurs. Queen Elizabeth II sends Prime Minister John Key a letter which includes "Please convey my deep sympathy to the families and friends of those who have been killed". It is announced that Christchurch's twin town Christchurch, Dorset, will create four books of condolences. 23 February 5:30 am – Civil Defence holds a press conference in the National Crisis Management Centre. 10:30 am – The state of emergency is upgraded to a national level. 1:30 pm – Search and rescue at the CTV Building stops after it was realised that the Grand Chancellor Hotel had safety issues. Work continued at the CTV site in the evening, but this was recovery work as it was decided that there was a low chance of there being any remaining survivors. ~2 pm – A woman is rescued from the PGC Building, and becomes the last person to be rescued in Christchurch. 24 February – Sydenham Heritage Church is demolished without proper consent. A Taiwanese rescue team of 22 arrives. A welfare centre is opened in Rolleston Community Centre with a capacity of 150 people. Water is being delivered by 34 tankers in Christchurch. Two water vats holding 4,500 litres of water are delivered to Christchurch. A 75-bed Australian Army Field hospital arrives. 8 am – Power has been restored to 60% of Christchurch. 12 pm – Auckland Council announces the donation of $1.5 million to earthquake relief. 3 pm – It is announced that the government will give $20,000 to the Student Volunteer Army. 25 February
6 am – Power has been restored to 75% of Christchurch, and mains water is able to be accessed by 50% of the city. 7 am – Desalination plants in Lyttelton and New Brighton start up, which process 5,000 litres of water per hour. 10:36 am – Telecom says that phone lines have been restored. It wants the public to text rather than call. 10:55 am – The death toll rises to 113. 10:00 am – The national census on 8 March is cancelled. 12:25 pm – Prince Philip signs the book of condolences in London. 2:45 pm – By this time, 780 portaloos have been distributed around the city, and 1200 are to arrive from overseas. 5:30 pm – Prince Charles signs the book of condolences in London. Over 300 Australian police officers are sworn in to help with recovery efforts. Teams from China, the United Kingdom and the United States also arrive. Prince William and Kate Middleton sign the condolences book in London. The Samoan government donates $100,000 to recovery efforts. 26 December – TelstraClear makes international and national phone calls free for Christchurch residents, which will last two weeks. 27 February HMNZS Canterbury sails from Lyttelton to Wellington to pick up supplies. 3 pm – Lyttelton tunnel reopens. 10 pm – A pigeon is rescued from the rubble of Christ Church Cathedral and is named Barney Rubble. 28 February – Prime Minister John Key confirms that there will be an inquiry into the collapse of Christchurch's buildings.
March
1 March Two minutes of silence are held nationwide at 12:51 pm, which marks one week since the February earthquake. Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama signs the book of condolences at the New Zealand High Commission. 2 March – There are 1796 uniformed personnel around Christchurch, which is its peak. 3 March – Avonside and Dallington get 86 more portaloos. 4 March By this date, 56,000 buildings have been inspected. Half of the listed heritage buildings have been marked unsafe.