Nearly a year on from November's 7.8 magnitude earthquake, schools in the Hurunui District say children are struggling to cope. And if the experience of Christchurch is anything to go by, it's likely to get worse before it gets better.
A damaged home in Waiau. Photo: RNZ / Maja Burry
The closure of State Highway 1 north of Kaikōura has made business in Cheviot quiet with tourists bypassing the town.
Cheviot Area School principal Blair Sheat said it was a stoic farming community, but within the last month he had started to see an increase in the number of children with anxiety and behaviour issues.
Cheviot Area School principal Blair Sheat. Photo: RNZ / Maja Burry
"These kids are struggling, they're in a community that's struggling, with parents that are struggling and so when something comes along which pushes them slightly sideways ... it's not hard for the wheels to come off."
Waiau School principal Mary Kimber Photo: RNZ / Maja Burry
