Having survived the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the Carson family defend their choice to leave the city behind for Nelson:
It’s a long road ahead, Mr Andrew Carson says, but they’re of an age where they’re not prepared to hang around waiting for a chance to revive their earthquake-shattered Mt Pleasant home.
“People might say we’ve run away, but do I choose unemployment in Nelson and a chance, or stay unemployed in Christchurch were the roads are shocking and it take ages to get anywhere. It looks like Beirut on a bad day. It’s not going to improve for 15 years and I’ve not got 15 years to wait around,” the 58 year-old says.
Fifteen years is a long time and I’m pretty sure that Beirut has witnessed improvements over the past decade and half (although you can probably count them on your fingers). Not enough to make out an address, so Andrew will need to download his own certificate.
Aftermath of Christchurch quake -- leaving roads looking like Beirut on a Bad Day -- via flickr
bass bayne w baynak the photo does look like a joura in Beirut!
It may look similar and if the guy said, “I’ve been to Beirut and these holes look similar to the roads there”, I would not comment. But I highly doubt he’s been to the city.