High-rise buildings checked for quake strength

8:49 am on 12 February 2012

A property company which owns some of New Zealand's tallest buildings says it began inspecting them immediately after the devastating February earthquake in Christchurch.

However, the work is still going on due to a shortage of quake engineers, it says.

A report found serious structural weaknesses in the CTV building which collapsed in the central city on 22 February last year, causing the deaths of 115 people.

AMP New Zealand Office Ltd owns high-rise properties worth $1.3 billion, including the State Insurance Tower in Wellington and the PWC building in Auckland.

It says many tenants have approached it wanting to know how safe they are.

Chief executive Scott Pritchard says results show the buildings checked so far are earthquake compliant to between 75% and 100% of the current building codes.