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Prince describes quake aftermath as unbelievable during tour of New Zealand and Australian disaster areas Prince William described the scale of damage caused to Christchurch by last month’s earthquake as “unbelievable” as he visited the city at the start of a tour of parts of New Zealand and Australia that have been struck by disaster in recent months. The prince walked through central Christchurch, which remains inaccessible to the public, to see the impact of the magnitude 6.3 quake which struck on 22 February, killing at least 166 people. “The scale of it is unbelievable. It really does bring it home to you to see a building like that, it’s just so sad,” he said looking at the 26-storey Hotel Grand Chancellor, which remains at a dangerous angle after part of its foundations slumped. The prince had earlier been greeted at the emergency response headquarters by a wall of media before spending almost an hour talking to staff at the repurposed art gallery. One worker in the building said the prince’s visit “definitely lifted spirits”. Morale is low in New Zealand, where people are struggling to cope with the aftermath of two earthquakes in five months. On Wednesday the New Zealand government and the International Rugby Board confirmed that Christchurch would no longer host its seven allotted games in the Rugby World Cup , owing to damage to the stadium and accommodation. The Christchurch mayor, Bob Parker, one of the officials who accompanied William through the city, said the prince appeared to have been strongly affected by what he had seen. “He’s been exposed to some pretty gritty things in his life given his career path,” Parker said. “He’s taken this in his stride. “He’s our prince. He didn’t have to come here but he did and the fact that he did means a great deal to us.” Later in the day, William flew across the South Island to the west coast, to meet the families of the 29 men who died in the Pike River mine explosion . Welcoming him at the Miners’ Hall in Shantytown, near Greymouth, the Grey district mayor, Tony Kokshoorn, said: “We look at you and we know that you, also, have had tragic times in your past.” Bernie Monk, the father of one of the miners killed in November’s explosion and spokesman for the victims’ families, told local radio: “We need these events to keep us going and keep our chins up. It’s just overwhelming and humbling.” The prime minister, John Key, who met Prince William in Shantytown, said the visit was “hugely appreciated by New Zealanders”. He said the inclusion of the Christchurch earthquake appeal on the royal wedding charity gift fund “reflects the couple’s close ties to and affection for New Zealand”. The royal visit was not, however, universally welcomed. Keri Hulme, patron of the Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand, said the tour appeared to be “designed to enhance politicians’ profiles”. The 1984 Booker prizewinner, for her novel The Bone People, told the Guardian in an email that the prince probably meant well. “But he’s here today and gone by Saturday. And in the meantime, and for years and years coming, it’s Aotearoa New Zealanders and their friends who will be the ones slowly rebuilding places.” Writing in the Christchurch Press, Vicki Anderson questioned the timing of Friday’s memorial service, expected to be attended by more than 10,000 people, including Prince William and politicians from New Zealand and Australia, in Christchurch’s Hagley Park. The event, Anderson wrote, amounted to “a grandiose, empty gesture starring so-called VIPs”. For residents, she said, “life is still too raw here for us to have a memorial”. William is due to depart on Saturday for Australia, where he will visit parts of Queensland and Victoria recovering from flooding and cyclones. Prince William New Zealand Australia Natural disasters and extreme weather Monarchy Toby Manhire guardian.co.uk