Infant boy the first NZ quake victim laid to rest

Sweet lord that is so sad.

"He said he expected much higher building code standards for new buildings so they will be able to withstand very strong earthquakes."

I should hope so.

I teared up. Only 5 months old...

Before the Cabinet meeting, Key said long-term measures being considered include an extra levy on all householders under New Zealand’s compulsory quake insurance system to raise the estimated $4 billion needed to cover an insurance shortfall.

Compulsory earthquake insurance system? Wow, I'm impressed. Japan should also have such a system.

After the ceremony, a tiny white coffin topped by a wreath of white flowers and draped with a light-blue comforter was carried by one man dressed in black, who placed it onto the back seat of a sedan. Some mourners wept and clung to each other, while others stood and watched in silence.

If this doesn't put a lump in your throat, then I feel sorry for you. What a tragedy. Condolences to the family and hopes that whatever faith they may practice can get them through their grief.

Reading stuff like this, as herefornow says, puts a lump in the throat. I just spent the weekend celebrating my baby granddaughter's first Dolls' Festival. What a difference from the weekend this little boy's family - and the families of all the other dead and missing - must have spent. My heart goes out to them all.

cleo -- you are so lucky. I am a grand father to a four year-old boy in the states. The fact you get to spend time with your grand child makes me very envious. In fact, truth be known, I live in fear of something happening to someone in my family while I am so far away. So, these poor parents, and, as you say, the families of all the dead and missing, deserve everyone's sympathy. May all the victims rest in peace.

RIP, boy.

"at least a third of the buildings must be razed and rebuilt"

This damage is worse than the Kobe quake, about 1 in 5 buildings there had to be rebuilt, though that killed way more people, over 6,000.

This is a very sad indeed, we just never know where or when we will die, so I guess we should try to live every day to the fullest. I can not even imagine loosing such a young baby, RIP little baby and I do hope the other families can at least find the remains of their loved ones, which is not always the case, my Japanese student who live in Mexico City was never able to find her husband nor son from the 1985 Mexico City quake.

RIP little boy. My heart goes out to the whole family. I have a little baby girl and cannot imagine how the mother must feel.. :(

It is very sad and unfair. The poor baby was born just 17 days after the first strong quake in Christchurch in September. Too little to know what happened but far too young to die. He was just getting started on this short trip we call "life"...