Scoop Audio: National Civil Defence Briefing, 1:30 23/2/11
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National civil defence controller David Coetzee held a press briefing in at the National Crisis Management Centre under the beehive, updating media on the national response to the Christchurch earthquake following the declaration of a national state of emergency.
He said that an airbridge had been set up with continuous flights between Christchurch and Wellington to help people, visitors especially, leave Christchurch and to free up accommodation for those required for the disaster response.
He said that the released information regarding the known dead – 75 bodies recovered and 55 identified – were the only numbers he had, and provided general information on how search and rescue teams will operate in Christchurch.