Was lying in bed just after midnight on Sunday, about to turn out the light when it started. By far and away the worst shake I have ever been in. Was lying there as the bed was hopping up and down, listening to creaks and groans as the house tried to tear itself apart, bangs and crashes as books, ornaments and cupboard contents leapt to the floor, the grand piano twanging miserably to itself and my guitars crashing out of their cupboard across the floor.

It is easy to be dismissive of earthquakes until you have been in a big one. Now aftershocks going on... and on... and bloody on! Over 500 today, including some quite big ones. One every couple of minutes for the last half hour, including one which knocked some books down I had already picked up. Might have to reconsider my bookworm habits of having books stuffed onto shelves three deep and go for boxes instead. And every time, you have to stop and think - is this a re-run of the Big One? Should I get under cover? Nerves rapidly fraying: have had enough!

I live at the bottom of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an order of magnitude worse down south. Kaikoura, a big touristy destination for whale-watching is totally cut off, neither road nor rail will be open for weeks, looking at the helicopter footage. There are no trains and no ferries between the islands and there are two homeless ferryboats parked in Wellington Harbour as the loading ramps have been damaged at both of the ports they use and they can't get the passengers off.   

Two confirmed dead, many injured and billions of dollars in property damage. Not a lot of fun. And another sleepless night in prospect hoping the tsunami alarm doesn't go off. Pray for us, please.