...New earthquake hits Christchurch, NZ

[Quasimodem]

I am sorry if this sounds callous, but I guess there just isn’t an easier way to say it: the feeling which exists when people “come together” at a time like this is the feeling which needs to be there all the time.

Anywhere.

Natural disasters are happening all around us and it is so unfortunate that so many of us are enemies, therefore causing help to come too late. I believe that a world-wide cooperation of all sciences could do much in the way of preventing deaths.

Probably, I didn’t express that last paragraph just right, but that’s the way I feel.

D and I too, wish our New Zealand friends well, and will do whatever we can to help.

Bill

[GuanoLad]

Christchurch has always been a very friendly city. It’s the Arts City, and also the Garden City, both of which engender a social community. In this case, it’s bringing the residents’ existing nature to the fore.

It looks like the death toll is going to top at around 200. Officially it’s currently at 147.

[Martini_Enfield]

@Otara

Its pretty bad, and the city may not recover as the whole CBD will be out of action for some time, sewage and water pipes are basically gone, etc etc. We got out of town after staying overnight in his apartment on the ground, then got accommodation with some lovely old folks.

People were being incredible, an army guy walked me for a couple of miles to get to dads place at midnight, as there was no light. Dad says he’s not going back at all as the apartment is basically gone, and all his memories are basically demolished now - his school, the town, mums school etc etc.

Glad your Dad is OK, Otara. My friends and rellies in Christchurch have all been saying that things are actually worse than what’s been on TV- the army apparently has Scorpion tanks forming roadblocks near the CBD- and according to the news something like 10,000 people a day have been flying out of the city; 35,000 in the last three days and that’s not counting people who have driven out. (The city’s population is nominally around 375,000 to put those numbers in perspective).

There’s a lot of people talking about leaving permanently; We had some of the rellies move across the pond after the last earthquake in Christchurch and a number of the people we know who are still in Christchurch are thinking now is probably a good time to follow them.

I know what your Dad means about all the memories being demolished too- I feel the same way, even though I left over a decade ago.

[jjimm]

I dug out what I wrote in my journal about Christchurch following a visit there in 2005. I loved the place, really. I wish the following words had been true, rather than the hollow echo they have now become - particularly the “safe” comment:

This place is so cute! It’s the sort of city I just want to pick up and put in my pocket to unroll and look at on a rainy day. Back in Oz several Aussies compared the place to Canberra, in less than favourable terms. I disagree. It is indeed similarly leafy, well ordered, and feels amazingly safe, but unlike Canberra it’s compact, has a focal point, and seems to have evolved rather than been planned by a turn-of-the-century modernist. Of course it might not have evolved; it might rather have been built along the lines of the Perfect English City, and it really does seem to have achieved this.

It has lots of art deco buildings, and a gorgeous weeping willow-dappled grass-banked river meandering through it, replete with punts - called the Avon. Jolly little tourist trams clank along the original tram lines past statues of Queen Victoria, Edwardian redbrick buildings, Belisha beacons, little parks lined with trees and featuring jolly-looking schoolboys in caps and blazers clutching hockey sticks. It was so genteel, sweet and pleasant a place - with such good bars, cafés and restaurants - that we booked an extra night.

Wishing the Kiwis strength to deal with your nightmare, and that the city rises once again in whatever form it can.

[Otara]

LAV III

Was these, they were there in the morning when we went to get drinking water, but not when I went in the night before. Apparently the army was doing exercises around Timaru, so very good luck in that regard.

It is really bad. I never realised how much of an issue the aftershocks were for people, and to have this large one after months of them from the last big one has just been the last straw for many from what I could see.

Otara

[whiterabbit]

After Northridge the aftershocks went on for months. It is deeply unsettling. Absolutely no joke.

[maggenpye]

Glad to see Ritter back, however briefly.

Just like September, we’re back to fundraisers and concern at a distance. Wish there was more we could do than hiff a few tins and blankets into the back of a truck.