Etymology

red-zone

Today it means: To categorize as too damaged to repair, and requiring the owners to vacate (a property). Full definition →

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The story

From the system of classifying areas of Christchurch, New Zealand as red zone (irreparable), green zone (reparable), or orange zone (more investigation needed) after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.