By Liz Puranam
3 News received plenty of calls into today from people living in some of Christchurch's suburbs saying they felt ignored by the focus on the death and destruction in the CBD.
It has been tough for them too in places like Dallington, Avonside, Sumner and Lyttelton.
The RSA in Sumner was squashed by falling boulders and it’s believed a builder was crushed on the adjoining site by falling rocks.
Today, Sumner's landmark cliffs lay everywhere; they have crushed cars and cliff top houses stand in ruin.
Near Lyttelton, boulders thrown from the hillside punched holes straight through a house.
“It went through one of the kid's bedroom,” says resident Nikki Rhodes. “It's quite scary to see where the actual bed is embedded in the ground.”
Luckily, the family weren't home.
The suburb of Aranui has seen some of the worst liquefaction in the city; streets and houses have sunk and buckled.
There is no power, water or sewerage and little in the way of food.
Across the road, Andrea Allfrey is suffering.
“All my life's just gone into this place,” Ms Allfrey says of her damaged home.
It is a community that feels forgotten.
“No one can get their pay,” says resident Gina Tyro. “People around here live week to week… there's kids around here crying because they've got nothing.”
What they need most is water; a long queue formed when news broke that a tanker was on its way.
“We're waiting for water which was promised to be delivered and we're still waiting,” says Ray Rarere.
And just when the crowd's patience was starting to wear thin the tanker arrived.
There is relief for now but with another night of hunger and darkness it is unlikely to last for long.
3 News