After the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand, on 22 February 2011, a cordon was set up around the devastated central city, and anyone wanting to see the damage for themselves could only stand at the cordon and look through the wire mesh fencing. Eighteen months later, the cordon still remains.
This photo album, while showing the destruction wrought by the earthquake and by the subsequent demolition of much of the central city as viewed from the cordon, also gently portrays Christchurch residents and visitors to the city trying to come to terms with all the devastation they are seeing - as they stand outside looking in.