Irish quake survivors share experiences

AS RESCUERS continued to comb through the rubble after the earthquake in Christchurch yesterday, the experiences of Irish people living in or visiting the South Island city began to emerge.

An estimated 200 Irish nationals were living in Christchurch — New Zealand’s second largest city — when the second earthquake in just five months struck.

One Tipperary couple, Pierce and Maureen Purcell from Clonmel, were in the centre of Christchurch visiting their daughter when the earthquake hit.