Japanese scientists view quake damage

[Suezy]

Japanese scientists view quake damage
JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN Last updated 14:33 10/03/2012

Dean Kozanic
Ikuo Towhata from the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Tokyo, front, takes a picture from the river banks at Kerrs Reach, the home to Christchurch rowing clubs, that suffered severe quake damage.

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Japanese scientists and government officials are touring earthquake stricken parts of Christchurch today to find ways of helping the recovery in Japan.

The director of Civil Defence Emergency management John Hamilton said the Japanese delegation had been in New Zealand since Thursday to share Japanese and New Zealand disaster management expertise and find projects of practical use to the recovery in Tohoku prefecture in Japan and Christchurch.

"Both our countries suffered major natural disasters last year. We have a lot to offer and to learn from each other."

The group toured Christchurch's central business district and several badly damaged suburbs this morning, including Redcliffs and Sumner .

They would be meeting at the University of Canterbury this afternoon for a debrief before flying home to Japan tomorrow in time to mark the first anniversary of their country's devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami which killed more than 15,000 people.

Copied from The Press.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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