Christchurch - New Zealand Shattered by 7.1 Earthquake - 9 hours ago.

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   Pearldiverposted 13 years ago

   The CBD of Christchurch; the 2nd biggest NZ city was devastated by a 7.1 RS quake early this morning at 4.35am NZT. Only 2 people were injured - however buildings and infrasructure were severely damaged.
   The Epicentre was close to the rural town of Darfield which is approx. 40klms from Christchurch CBD. No Sheep or Dairy Cows were injured either
   
   Christchurch is the Tourism Entranceway to NZ's South Island.
   On News programs that show this event...
   You will see interviews with a number of Kiwis (NZ people) in which many appear to joking about and laughing about this.
   So that you understand us as people... please do not see that as a negative thing! We as people find internal strength by looking at and relating to the Funny Sides of major events.. in this way we accomplish Positive things and do not sit around feeling sorry for ourselves. That is something that makes Kiwis Kiwis.. Aussis are the same...
   
   Everyone is OK... Everything is Broken... But it's Just Like Camping! Thanks to all the civil defence services staff and contractors..

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      bayouladyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Good news about no major injuries,pearldiver. Admire the tuff attitude of the NZs and Aussies.

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      DoorMattnomoreposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Just saw this on the news a bit ago and Im glad everyone is ok. Thanks for letting us know.

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   alternate poetposted 13 years ago

   Good luck to everyone there and I hope things get back to normal soon -
   
   that wasn't you bad'uns getting a good shaking from god was it ? 

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      StuartJposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I wondered about that -- but why not Auckland or Sydney? ;-)

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   Jewelsposted 13 years ago

   Shaky times Pearldiver. Glad the casualties are few.  Christchurch is a lovely city, there must be some very disappointed people at the moment, but I so relate to how people just get on and fix it when it's broke.
   
   We are in the midst of floods at the moment. Not that we Australians are complaining, the drought is breaking nicely.  In my neck of the woods it's been raining heavily for the last 5 hours and our rivers are already full.  We've had the Government recorded phone call of alarm, making is aware and ready to move if needed.
   
   There is excitement and a fantastic preparedness to help if needed.

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   Flightkeeperposted 13 years ago

   I'm sorry to hear that Christchurch was particularly hard hit, but I know that the people will rally.  Carry on!

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   Pearldiverposted 13 years ago

   AP ... Maybe Maybe Not... it was a nice city 'Christ Church'.. I would've expected the 'big guy' to have picked on Wellington where the politicians are..
   
   
   @ Jewels.. I didn't know that.. good luck mate... hope you are OK.
   So.. No Waves Worth Surfing Yet??
   
   
   @ Bayoulady ... Thanks but in the end I'm sure that when the dust settles in most places though... many are like that. Maybe Down here we just roll up our sleeves first
   
   @ Flightkeeper.. Thanks for that
   Yep.. they are remarkably well organized.. but clearing the place of people helped.
   
   This is a Huge Event for NZ... If I disappear from here.. I'll off down there to swing a hammer.

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      Tusitala Tomposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      APs got it right, Wellington is where I wouldn't have expected the next big 'un to be.   Maybe the 'Man upstairs' thinks that city already gets enough punishment with the shocking weather they have there

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         Pearldiverposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah... Of course Sideways Rain and an Air-Brakes Testing Strip
         Touche mate...

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   Dorsiposted 13 years ago

   Has anyone heard from Lissie? Doesn't she live in New Zealand?

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      Pearldiverposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      No... She Lives in Perth - Western Australia - she's the Farthest Aussi away as the crow flys!
      
      But yes Lissie did once live here.

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         Dorsiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for letting me know. I found out she also wrote a hub about the quake - so how are you doing?

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            Pearldiverposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I'm in the North Island and it didn't affect us...
            But we all have family or friends down there or have friends here that do. It's a small country that always unites at times like this. We'll be ok.
            Thanks for asking Dorsi

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         Lissieposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Nah she moved back for the awesome weather in Wellington (sarcasm off!). But I do now live in Wellington (for the moment) Got to laugh though I found out about Christchurch cause Hospitalera was on Skype asking if I was OK and  plenty of Americans were concerened too - while I off course was sound asleep!
         
         @CkhoffmanK - the currentcall on the quake is 7.1 centered 10km down and about 25km west of the city (nearest town Darfield). It does actually take a few hours for the geos to come up with the definitive answer - but this is it I think now (you can check with the official link on my hub).
         
         Interestingly the quake was actually slightly stronger and slightly shallower than Haiti's - its all about the building standards at the end of the day and I am happy to live in a country with excellent building code even if it is all a potential earthquake zone.

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            Pearldiverposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Well Welcome Home Lissie!!
            
            You could have hitched a ride with those MPs that flew down to help and to make sure that their seats are safe for the upcoming elections
            
            Had to laugh though - the main ITM Rugby Game today was BOP vs Canterbury.. And No one missed the game

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   earnestshubposted 13 years ago

   I heard the news and rang a few NZ friends This was a really big one!
   I'm very relieved that there were so few injuries, although that is little compensation for those hurt, and knowing how NZ people are, they will have it rebuilt as soon as possible.
   Good luck me brave mates!
   
   Two of my best employees were from NZ and I think of NZers as brothers.

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      Pearldiverposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You think of Kiwis as brothers? So you should mate - and visa versa... after Galipoli I think that was forged for time. Apparently the Aussi builders will all have the opportunity of an all expenses paid trip to ChCh.. according to the civil defence boys.... they are so on to it.
      
      Yep it was a big one.. it hasn't been a good day in the South Island mate...
      A Sky Diving plane crashed at Fox Glacier also... killing 9.. including an Aussi brother

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   CkhoffmanKposted 13 years ago

   I hubbed about that a few hours ago.
   
   too many sources say something diff about the magnitude though
   
   it all falls between 7.1 and 7.5

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      Pearldiverposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      It was 7.1.
      
      The first reports claimed 7.5.
      
      There have been over 20 after shocks since above 4.0

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         Ivorwenposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Glad you and others are okay, even those after shocks can be damaging. 

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   cindyvineposted 13 years ago

   Serious?  Hope those lovely old buildings are okay!

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      Pearldiverposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      No Cindy... Many of them have been wrecked
      
      But Canterbury beat Bay of Plenty in the rugby

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    Hovalisposted 13 years ago

    I read about this in the newspaper. There seems to be a lot of building damage in the area. But reports are that no one has been killed, which is great news. I hope those that are hurt are on the mend soon.
    
    Lissie, I remembered you saying somewhere that you moved back to NZ. Glad you weren't in the area. Did you feel it at all? I heard news that the quake was felt on the North Island. I remember we felt the Newcastle earthquake in Sydney, and it was only a 5.2. The distance between Christchurch and Wellington is only about twice that between Sydney and Newcastle.

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       RFoxposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       I remember the Newcastle quake.
       
       I was living in the Hunter at the time. Bizarre thing was my brother and I were watching Demolition Man on the tv at the time.
       Right when they blew up the building in the movie our house started shaking....it was the craziest timing!
       
       Glad to hear there were no major casualties and knowing Aussies and Kiwis Christchurch will be rebuilt in no time, stronger than before.
       
       Take care down there.

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          Hovalisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          I originally hail from the Hunter, (Cessnock & then Singleton) and I remember the frantic phone calls to relatives in New Lambton, who we got through to easily, and then Singleton, only to find the phones down there -- go figure. The power in Singleton went out as a result of the quake, and the phone exchange went down for a while.
          
          My sister was at work in the QVB in Sydney at the time, that's how I know they felt it. It set the chandeliers swaying, and they thought there was a crash in Town Hall station! I was on the North Coast in Kempsey, and the power went out at the time of the quake. We didn't hear what had happened until the midday news on the radio, when we were heading back to our camp at Crescent Head.
          
          Just remembering the chaos that was brought about by that admittedly smaller size quake here, makes me feel for the people of Christchurch, and the surrounding areas. I hope that the searches they are doing bring no unpleasant surprises.

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             RFoxposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             Such a small world!
             
             I did my final four years of high school in Cessnock.
             My parents still live in Branxton.
             
             Yes, I remember the chaos too. Hope Christchurch will be okay.

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                Hovalisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                It really is a tiny planet! I was born in Cessnock, and went to Infants and Primary in West Cessnock before moving to Singleton just in time for High School. I moved to Sydney after the HSC in order to get a job. You know how it goes. Branxton really is between the two. I knew a lot of people who got on the Branxton bus to go home, including one of my friends.

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       Lissieposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Nah didn't feel a thing - but it would require quite a close earthquake to wake me up at 4:30am! I don't think it was felt here though - though all the way south to Invercargil apparently.
       
       There have been major aftershocks - most 4.0 or above - there was a good one on TV news as they were reporting live - which was 10 hours afterwards - so those will probably go on for weeks - which could well be the time it takes to sort out the water and the sewerage as well.
       
       The power seems to be pretty good and the ph system has held up pretty well too - though some of the cell ph towers may start failing soon as the batteries run out.

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    Mishaposted 13 years ago

    Glad you guys appeared to be prepared to that kind of stuff. Good luck restoring the place!

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    Pearldiverposted 13 years ago

    Hi Hovalis, only two of the injuries were 'really serious' but what has happenened as the day has progressed, is that several people who have been shocked and travelling on adrenelin are starting to suffer heart problems.
    That is a common thing in such events.
    Plus the entire area has not been completely searched yet... so hopefully everyone has been accounted for.
    
    
    @ Hi Misha.. thanks mate
    Last year NZers were pretty much completely caught up with rebuilding Samoa after the tsunami wiped them out.
    
    Well practically all of NZ except BumbleTown is on the FaultLine... So I guess I'll be making a fair few coffees on 12/21/2012..

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    CMHypnoposted 13 years ago

    Glad that there were only a couple of injuries.  Christchurch is a beautiful city, so I hope that not too many of the lovely buildings have been wrecked beyond repair.
    
    Did they say whether there was a chance of any afters-shocks?

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       sofsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Real glad that with a eathquake of that magnitude there are only two casualities. Glad to hear that the hubber community there is safe too!

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    Kidgasposted 13 years ago

    It is quite amazing looking at the damage that there were only 2 seriously injured.  My best wishes to those affected.
    
    It is good that the Kiwis approach life with a sense of humor.  It is one of the better defense mechanisms psychologically.

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    ralwusposted 13 years ago

    Gives Rock and Roll a whole new meaning that I hope to never live through. Best to you all down there mate.

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    rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

    thanks for letting us know you're all ok. I saw it yesterday on the news and thought of all of you Kiwis. glad to hear there were only the 2 seriously injured. I guess everyone was home sleeping?
    
    sometimes laughter is the best antidote. a healthy sense of 'it is what it is.'
    

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    ThoughtfulSpotposted 13 years ago

    Thanks for all the updates, and I'm glad the injury list has been small thus far.  Hopefully everyone and everything will get fixed up quick.
    
    Pearldiver - Funny you felt you had to explain the "laugh it off" attitude! I hope no one would get upset at that.  Maybe I should have been born in NZ, my sarcasm/make-a-joke-of-it defense mechanisms get me in all kinds of trouble here in the U.S. 

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    Pearldiverposted 13 years ago

    Hi Everyone.... Thanks for your Best Wishes
    
    Rock n Roll alright..... we've got some new excellent W Shapes on our Railway Lines Though...
    
    And a few old timers who rolled out of bed early in the morning, ran outside and went back inside afterwards but couldn't find their teeth
    
    Two of them got arrested for Looting when they were found inside a shop that sold novelty vampire teeth... but later escaped after spraying the police while attempting to give false names
    
    Yep... Same Here TS.

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    Benjimesterposted 13 years ago

    Man, 7.1 is huge.  That's pretty amazing and fortunate that no one was killed.  You guys must have some pretty epic engineering.  Thanks for the message.  We're wishing everyone the best.

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    clintonbposted 13 years ago

    My thoughts and best wishes go out to all who have been affectted by the earthquakes in NZ. Wishing for a speedy rebuilding of the area.

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    SomewayOuttaHereposted 13 years ago

    Wish the best to those in NZ...I'm travelling right now...caught the news!

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