Earlier this month HP has sent out word that it would announce the establishment of a multimillion-dollar next-generation data center in Waikato on Thursday, February 24th.

In light of the events currently happening in Christchurch, the company has now delayed that announcement.

"We are all saddened and shocked by the tragic situation in Christchurch,” reads a statement by HP.

"Our focus at this time is on the safety of our employees and their families and working closely with our customers and partners to ensure minimal disruption to their business operations.

"Out of respect for the people of Christchurch and to ensure that our focus is on the recovery process, we have decided to delay the HP NZ data center announcement on the 24th February. We will inform you of a new date.”

Update: HP has confirmed to us that the event will now be held on Thursday, March 10th.

In other HP news, the firm has just signed a seven-year outsourcing services agreement with international energy company, Centrica.