THREE MONTHS after the huge earthquake, many Dallington, Avonside and Burwood residents are still using portaloos.

The suburbs, amongst the worst hit in Canterbury by the 7.1 quake on September 4, will take a long time to repair.

Quake damage has been estimated at $5 billion, which makes it one of the world’s worst natural disasters in terms of the repair bill.

And people in the eastern suburbs have borne a big brunt of that.

But Avonside resident Ali Morris says life must go on.

She and husband Richard’s four-bedroom Morris St home sank a metre.

Her front garden, which was once level, now sports a huge diagonal crack, splitting the ground into two different heights.

“It’s our new terrace feature,” she laughed.

Suburbs still in limbo

But living without a toilet for 95 days is no joke. They initally had a long drop, but now have a camping flush toilet which they empty into the portaloo in the street.

Mrs Morris says she is prepared for repairs to her property to take months because “the problems here are so huge in terms of infrastructure”.

“We certainly don’t expect miracles,” she said.

Engineers have been assessing her home and it is “viable to raise the house”.

CHARLEY MANN – The Star