BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010

Subject: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 05:48 PM

About 5 hours ago a 7.1 earthquake hit the South Island of New Zealand, causing massive damage to the Canterbury region, devastating one of our major cities and the outlying small towns.
Two people have been seriously injured from falling masonry but many others have minor cuts, breaks and bruises.
Power and water has been cut to some areas.
The Christchurch Hospital is running on emergency power.
Parts of central Christchurch have been closed and all our radios and TV stations are running live news updates.
They still haven't declared a state of emergency!!
One of many links with breaking news.
My brother lives in Kaiapoi - he should be OK but we haven't heard from him yet - the cell phone system isn't good at the moment.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 05:52 PM

By the way, because of the dateline, we are already in Saturday 4th September. So for the rest of you, this happened tomorrow!
A girl on telly right now is saying the streets in Kaiapoi are all broken and there's sewerage and water pipes broken everywhere.
TERRY! Where are you!
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Tangledwood
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 05:56 PM

Just heard the news here in Brisbane. Best wishes to all the Kiwis.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 06:28 PM

Oh my... Hope you bother rings you soon and that he is all right.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 06:29 PM

your brother... sorry fingers aren't so good at the mo.

sending good energy to all in the earthquake area

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 06:30 PM

They've just shown footage of the mess in Kaiapoi's streets and the little footbridge over the Waimakarere river is ruined. It looks like a zig-zag - up, down, up, down. ^^^
Residents have been asked not to use their cell phones.
It is now a State of Emergency!
About time!
The airport is closed and trains have been stopped until the lines are checked but some major roads are still open.
There are no reports of any loss of life.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 06:58 PM

Oh my God.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 07:07 PM

TV reports available here.
Still lots of aftershakes.
Someone said the bells in the cathedral were ringing out while the earth shook.
Drinking water is about to be a real problem.
One man said that his toilet popped up from the floor. Many people are unable to flush their toilets.
All people who had been stuck in lifts (elevators) have now been removed.
The airport is being checked and flights might be able to resume sometime this afternoon.
A geologist is suggesting the Southern Alps will have moved higher and a little further north!
Our mountains are growing!
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Alice
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 07:08 PM

I heard this news when it happened earlier today, didn't start a thread, but hoped someone in NZ on mudcat could give us an on-scene report. Thanks, Little Robyn and good luck.

A.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 07:16 PM

I hope you hear from your brother very soon, Robyn. Love to you all out there..

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 08:21 PM

NZ declares state of emergency after quake - posted 1hr 37 mins ago

Geonet NZ statistics on earthquake

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 08:40 PM

I heard there was a week or so ago near the glacier in South Island, but so remote that no human related damage noted.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 02:08 AM

Residents evacuated from quake-hit Christchurch - updated 45 mins ago

An earlier radio report said only CBD residents were being evacuated.

Google search Christchurch earthquake

Google search - Video reports on earthquake

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 03:45 AM

My sister tried to phone my brother earlier but no success. Then she had another thought:

'Finally realised I was allowed to text him so did. They are fine. Got a fright and things got stirred up but just down the road and around the corner buildings are wrecked and sewage leaking.
He had been trying to get Sandys sister and hubby to come for the weekend from Wainui and they were pleased they hadn't gone.
Terry thinks he will be busy but Steph is staying with them and her boyfriend is staying in their flat at Pine Beach to stop looters or some such.
If it gets too bad they might hop on a ferry but not at this stage.
They haven't had the power on long and he didn't mention the water. I told him everyone was asking after him so he just said tell everyone they are fine and thanks.'

Phew!
Terry is my brother, Sandy is his wife and Stephanie is their daughter so all are well.
Now the weather forecast is saying that rotten weather is coming - high winds and driving rain tomorrow. What a mess!
The hospital was back on mains power and the power company reckons they'll have most of the area fixed in a couple of days.
I hope so.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 05:09 AM

Gee whiz! I heard about the quake but all the report said was there was no tsunami. Didn't realize it was THAT bad.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Pistachio
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 06:19 AM

My neighbours daughter moved there (South Island) earlier this year - post grad on 2 year working visit. Must check with them.
Best wishes to ALL concerned.
Hazel.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 06:20 AM

Robyn... good to hear you got in touch with your brother and he and family are well...

Thoughts still with you and yours.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 08:32 AM

ditto

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Wolfhound person
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 09:56 AM

Good luck to all your friends, Robyn. The penalty of living on the Ring of Fire, I guess.

Paws (Julia)

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 10:37 AM

Jeepers, I am glad you heard from your brother and all are okay. Sounds like a mess. May it all be put right as quickly and safely as possible.

Take care,

katinColorado

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 10:57 AM

I concur with kat! Living in seismically active country myself I hope this comes right! Keep us posted as you can.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Alice
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 05:07 PM

Like Rapaire, I live in the Yellowstone zone. I check the USGS earthquake report site almost every day.

Glad to hear that you contacted your brother, Robyn!

A.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 07:39 PM

It's a new day here in NZ and Christchurch is still a mess. The CBD is still closed off and they're still having aftershocks - 5.1 again this morning. Lots of others that I would consider nasty if it happened to us. Check out this lot!

The engineers have checked the Cathedral - one of Christchurch's landmarks, and is seems to be structurally sound. It was reinforced about 10 years back.
But many other old buildings in the middle of town have not been so lucky and while the quakes are continuing, shopowners can't get in to see the damage. Even when the buiding is OK, ceilings are down and the stock has been thrown all over the place.
I hate to think what might have happened in the music shops.
Or the Canterbury Museum. Or the library. The Youth hostels where we stayed during the Northumbrian Piper's tour in 2005.......
There will be plenty of work now, with rebuilding or demolishing and there is funding available from the Gov Earthquake Commission.
And they keep saying that no-one has been killed and only one seriously injured so things could have been much worse.
The TV news reckons that most people now have their power and water back on but with the number of lamposts tipped over and roads cracked, I find that hard to believe.
Anyway, they're sending in the army. They showed the tanks being loaded onto the Interisland ferry this morning.
"She'll be right mate!"
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: JennieG
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 08:36 PM

Hope everyone is well - at least the news that no one has been killed is heartening, when one sees the destruction on TV. Christchurch is a beautiful city, we visited there ten years ago this week.

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 09:28 PM

"Anyway, they're sending in the army. They showed the tanks being loaded onto the Interisland ferry this morning."

I hope things turn out better there than when they sent the Aussie Army into the Northern Territory ... :-)

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 01:22 AM

Rescuers fear Christchurch residents trapped - story posted 47 mins ago

I was looking for a photo in today's paper showing damage to a railway line, but it's not in this gallery however but it's here in this story

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Gurney
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 01:29 AM

We should explain that army tracked vehicles are being sent for their off-road capability, not to keep order! The epicentre was in a country area.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: mouldy
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 03:22 AM

My son in Wellington was woken by it, but at the time he wasn't aware what had actually caused him to wake up. He sent me a news link which says there is speculation that it might have been 3 quakes in very close proximity.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4094986/Officers-flown-in-to-protect-Christchurch

Should the same happen in Wellington, he would be part of the civil defence force (he works for the council). He said that the majority of the buildings to suffer were built from stone or brick (which doesn't flex) and that the alluvial land which Christchurch is built upon caused liquefaction, and that some buildings actually sank.
The people of New Zealand are as prepared as anyone could be for such events, given that nobody can ever tell the when/where/depth/strength of any earthquakes! As has been previously said - it's the penalty for living on the Ring of Fire.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Gurney
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 03:46 AM

I've just found out: the first international help offered was by the US military in Hawaii.
It wasn't needed, as we had very few people trapped, but the offer was made, and since out anti-nuclear stance has resulted in a widening gap militarily between NZ and the US, It was a generous offer.

Andrea's post says it all. There were eruptions of silt in Christchurch like small volcanos. It happened in the wee small hours, and our houses are built with earthquakes in mind, and don't fall down on you.
The buildings which suffered most were very old -by our standards- listed heritage stone buildings downtown, with very few people in them. About 90 buildings will be demolished, mostly lovely old ones.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 08:13 AM

It's just after midnight (Monday) here and the quakes are still happening.
The latest one was at 11:24pm, magnitude: 5.2, depth:9 km, 20 km south-east of Darfield.
Before that 11:14 pm, magnitude: 3.7, 10 km south-west of Christchurch,
10:21 pm, magnitude: 3.6, 20 km south-west of Christchurch,
9:20 pm, magnitude: 3.5, 20 km south-east of Darfield,
7:28 pm, magnitude: 3.8, 10 km east of Darfield,
7:03 pm, magnitude: 3.7, 10 km north-east of Darfield,
6:19 pm, magnitude: 3.8, 20 km south-east of Darfield.
They've been like that all day!
All around the Christchurch area.
The inner city is still closed to the public while engineers check the buildings and bulldozers knock down the damaged ones.
Business and building owners are allowed in to see what damage they have sustained and the army and police are keeping out rubberneckers or looters.
One street in Kaiapoi has a trench along it and some houses are tipping over or badly cracked, but other streets are OK.
Schools are still closed and the state of emergency has been extended to Wednesday.
And now there's wind and rain passing over the country.
I'm going to bed.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: maeve
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 08:24 AM

Thank you to all who have posted information. I'm watching and waiting for further developments. Let us know how we can help, please.

Maeve, in Maine.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: mouldy
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 09:10 AM

Seems from our news that it's a completely new faultline - same as Haiti

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 09:35 AM

Christchurch shop owners sift through rubble - see also links to videos & related stories, including this one Oh baby: quake shakes NZ mums into labour

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 03:56 PM

Before I went to bed I reported the latest biggie (5.2) at 11:24pm.
Well they've had more overnight -
11:38pm, Mag 4.0
11:40pm, 5.4
0:21am, 4.7
0:47am, 3.5
0:51am, 3.9
2:52am, 3.1
3:14am, 3.7
3:24am, 5.4
4:17am, 3.5
5:14am, 3.9

The smaller ones (up to about 4 on the Richter scale) would still be pretty unnerving but they've had three measuring more than mag.5 in the last 6 hours. Scary!
Some of the buildings that seemed OK before have now been damaged by the new quakes.
Some people have been trying to return to work but office workers and shop assistants etc whose work places have been destroyed are now suddenly unemployed. Some on TV are asking "Am I going to be paid?" Probably not.
The Government and insurance companies will cover some of the cost but things won't be back to 'normal' for a very long time.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 04:10 PM

Here's a first-hand report from one of our Morris families, sent out to all NZ Morris dancers this morning:

Hello All,
    In response to text messages and emails of concern along with well-wishes, I thought it might be worth writing a group email. Dave, could you please circulate this to the wider Morris community.

    The main thing is that we are fine! As the awfulness of the wider impact unfolded on the radio and TV our family realised just how lucky we had been. Yes, we felt the full, violent, prolonged shaking and shamefully, while my children ran to doorways, I couldn't think what to do (being 50 has its drawbacks) and just lay in bed thinking "Oh heck this is the Big One," and reminding myself that our old villa no longer had brick chimney stacks. I was also thinking that I might actually die in this earthquake. Our house is on piles, and we could feel the house staggering with a zig-zag motion. Elwin was remembering six weeks of winter grim and grime working under the house to anchor it to the piles according to the building consent requirements for our relocated building. Worth every aching moment!
    Bryony's collection of coke bottles fell in a frightening cascade from a high place, but not one broke. I don't think she'll be putting them back up there. Otherwise the dreadful "Sweet Jenny Jones" plate that you lot gave us for giving you the Morris Tour, fell off the piano, a few photo frames tumbled, crockery dislodged but nothing broke. I was worried about the chimneys and indeed the two-storey 130 year old concrete structure of my old family home (which Elwin and I bought 6 weeks ago), but it only suffered a cracked window and the existing cracks from earlier earthquakes don't seem to have widened at all. Once news of the damage in nearby Kaiapoi and Christchurch reached us we were able to appreciate how lucky we really have been. We have not been affected by power cuts, and because we have a 3000 litre water tank as well as a septic tank, we haven't suffered the breakdown in infrastructure that has crippled parts of Christchurch. In fact venturing out today as far as Rangiora I feel almost guilty to be going about business as normal.
    Kitty's primary school is closed as a formality, but Bryony's school, Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti, which is located in the heart of Christchurch's destruction, is likely to remain closed for as long as it takes to make the CBD safe again.
    I have always loved the historic street frontages in Christchurch, and supported campaigns to preserve the city's built heritage,
but with a whim of mother nature so much of it has just been wiped out, along with places of deep historical significance like the Deans homestead near the epicentre of the Earthquake. When I consider that in any other major earthquake the losses are counted in Human lives these heritage buildings are mere ephemera. What is left may now be valued more highly, but a path has opened for a new cityscape. Today we heard that the earthquake occurred on a fault line that had not moved for 16,000 years. And the Best of British luck sited a new city, right handy about 150 years before the upheaval!
    Nor' West Arch cancelled its day of dance on Saturday, but news from other dancers around the place suggests that most of us got off lightly. That includes Rod and Migs, who live at New Brighton on sandy terrain, and Trevor Robertson and his little boy Bleys who have only recently bought a house in Avonside - the area where the liquification occurred.

    Thanks for all the messages of concern and support. Our best wishes to everyone including Morris fellows in Christchurch.
Much Love
Jeneane and Family
Rangiora

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 04:19 PM

Gosh. Hope youse all keep safe. Scarey stuff indeed.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: vectis
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 06:44 PM

I was very relieved that my oldest moved from ChCh a few months ago to Aukland. Hope this is isolated and other faults won't be triggered by the quakes and aftershocks.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Gurney
Date: 07 Sep 10 - 03:40 PM

Well, Vectis, this event has already triggered minor shakes in Wellington and Hawkes Bay, and Auckland is built on an isthmus of volcanos. Extinct, I hope, but the volcanologists say not. I've lived here for 35 years and never felt the smallest tremor, and all modern buildings are built with that in mind.

You never stop being a parent, do you? My son is touring Scotland, and if a couple of days go by without an eMail.....

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Gurney
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 03:27 AM

And still the aftershocks go on! Buildings that were repairable no longer are, the State of Emergency has been extended for a week, safety inspectors are having to cover the ground again and again. The latest bigger aftershock was nearer and shallower. Governmant estimates of cost has doubled to $4billion for repairs alone.

The human cost is still nil in terms of lives directly lost, but livlihoods lost are still to be reckoned.
They estimate that there hasn't been an earthquake in the ChCh area for 15,000 years.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: mouldy
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 04:23 AM

My son said he felt one of the Wellington tremors while at work. However, apart from him and one other guy, nobody seemed to notice a bit of swaying!

He says one of the guys from work had gone to visit his brother in ChCh, and apparently this said brother actually SLEPT through the whole thing! (Generally felt to have some link with the alcohol consumed earlier!)

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 07:51 AM

A young man at the University has made a programme/site that shows you the map with coloured dots as each quake happened/happens - it's kept up to date.
Click here for a replay.
Scary!
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: SINSULL
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 08:15 AM

Stay safe, Robyn. Let us know what we can do to help.
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 10:31 AM

thanks for your reports, Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 02:44 PM

Quite the scarey vid! Hope things go okay.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 03:51 PM

If you look at the map of the area, the bit that pokes out - Bank's Peninsular, has 2 holes in it - Lyttelton Harbour and Akaroa Harbour.
These are 2 very old volcanoes!!!!!!
Just sleeping.
No volcano is actually dead - they're just asleep.
I'm not a geologist or volcanologist but if you track the quakes, they're all in a relatively small area, very close to the old volcanoes.
I think, if we were living there, I would be packing my bags!
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: EBarnacle
Date: 09 Sep 10 - 12:02 AM

The late night news just showed a video of a liner interior being affected by what was apparently a minor tsunami in that area. Have there been other reports of similar events?

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 10 Sep 10 - 06:44 AM

The aftershocks seemed to be easing but the smaller quakes are still happening - the latest was just 30 minutes ago.
The people in Christchurch are getting tired, the kids are having bother sleeping and most schools are still closed.
But some parts of the city are open for business and things are starting to return to normal. Water is now available in most homes and power is back on.
Some houses are condemned, some buildings are being pulled down, some families have had enough but many are OK.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 04:03 PM

I was going to tell you it was almost over - there were only a few small aftershocks on Sunday night and early Monday.
But in the last 24 hours there have been 34 aftershocks, most of them smallish but a couple of them were 4 or more on the Richter scale.
The city centre is open again and people are trying to get back to a normal life. But many will have lost their jobs.
The repair bill is etimated to be about 4 billion dollars - half of that for domestic properties, a quarter for business properties and the rest for public amenities - water, power, public buildings etc.
Anyway, things are looking up, most kids are back at school and they're learning to cope.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 05:03 PM

Any progress is good. Hope progress continues. Too bad the Commonwealth is spending so much money on bullets and might not be able to help out our citizens in NZ. Sorry for that statement but that's the way I feel.

Stay safe.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 02:38 AM

Robyn, thanks for the continual reports.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Gurney
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 02:41 AM

To Gnu, and other concerned posters. When we insure our buildings in NZ, included in the price is 'The Earthquake and War Damage Levy.
This was organised after the Napier earthquake in 1931 where 256 people died and the centre of that art nouveau small city suffered as ChCh did, losing many characterful buildings, which were NOT built with earthquakes in mind.

That 1931 earthquake was a lesson to our Government, and the building codes introduced with that in mind no doubt saved lives.
The timing of this latest one is also saved many from death and injury, as it happened before most anyone got out of bed. The narrow escapes were mostly in old houses with brick chimneystacks, and the serious downtown damage was done to old commercial buildings, built with old European practices.
I like the way they look, but I wouldn't work in one

One church lost its tower, which almost cut it in two.

The fund of the earthquake levy must be HUGE. I hope.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 07:57 AM

It's been quiet for the last 12 hours!!!
More than 550 quakes in the last 10 days.
I'm sure there will be more but I hope it's almost over.
Let the people of Christchurch sleep tonight.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 03:44 PM

Just a couple more overnight:

Wed, Sep 15 2010 0:36 am
Magnitude: 4.3

Wed, Sep 15 2010 2:42 am
Magnitude: 3.7

Both of them were 20 km south-west of Christchurch.

Someone on TV the other night said Christchurch had a big earthquake in 1929 - a precurser to the Hawke's Bay biggie two years later!
They said there was definitely a relationship between the two.
Ooooppps!
We live in Hawke's Bay now, although Wellington is our home town.
Wellington is situated on several fault lines and the scientists have said for years that Wellington is overdue for the Big One!
I've lived through several minor quakes - nothing like the people of Christchurch, but you never really get used to them.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 03:07 AM

My sister & brother-in-law were in San Francisco in 1989 when the last big one hit.

As he's a geologist he made sure they rented the best (built) house in the best (geological) area. He was home with her when the quake struck & the house shook, so they didn't have to worry about each other - it was only the rest of us back in Oz who worried until they called.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Jack Campin
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 04:36 AM

Experts can be a bit depressing.

A friend of my father's in the 1960s was the NZ government's chief vulcanologist for the Rotorua area (centre of the North Island, one of the most active volcanic regions in the world). He kept his car with the tank absolutely full, the garage door open, made sure his wife had a spare set of keys, and had shovels and planks in the boot. I think his estimate was that they'd have at most half an hour's warning to run like hell.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 12:16 PM

Glad things are getting back to normal. Don't think I would cope very well with earthquakes all day and night. Add a volcano and I am gone.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 04:01 PM

I spoke too soon.
There have been 24 more quakes in the last 24 hours, several measuring more than 4 on the Richter scale.
The University programme that I reported on 8 September is still being updated and you can see the last 24 hours (or 12 or 6 or 3) as it happened.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 05:07 PM

Keep the car in the driveway.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 11:52 PM

Here's what the United States Geological Survey has to say:

Two people seriously injured. Six bridges and many buildings damaged at Christchurch. More than 5 km of right-lateral surface faulting was observed southeast of Darfield.

Tectonic Summary
The September 3, 2010 South Island, New Zealand earthquake occurred as a result of strike-slip faulting within the crust of the Pacific plate, near the eastern foothills of the Southern Alps at the western edge of the Canterbury Plains.

The earthquake struck approximately 50 km to the west-northwest of Christchurch, the largest population center in the region, and about 80-90 km to the south and east of the current expression of the Australia:Pacific plate boundary through the island (the Alpine and Hope Faults). The earthquake, though removed from the plate boundary itself, likely reflects right-lateral motion on one of a number of regional faults...

Translation: the Pacific plate and the Australian plate are rubbing horizontally against one another. 5 km of fresh new fault (split ground) has appeared near Darfield. Whichever side of the fault you stand on, the other side will appear to have moved to the right.

I think you can quit worrying about the volcanoes. If they haven't started to quiver or smoke yet, they are probably unaffected by the motion of the plates. I'm sure if there was any bad news, the press would let us all know.

Meanwhile:

is your water heater strapped to a wall?

do you have shoes right near your bed to put on if a quake strikes in the night? (to protect from broken glass)

do you have a sturdy table or desk to hide under?

have you removed heavy pictures or mirrors that could fall on you?

Little things can make a big difference.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 16 Sep 10 - 02:21 PM

This map shows how the boundary between the Pacific and Australian plates passes right through New Zealand. Whoever designed that needs his head examined.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Plates_tect2_en.svg

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 16 Sep 10 - 03:58 PM

36 more quakes in the past 24 hours but it's been quiet in the last 6 hours of that time. The last one was about 1:35am and it's now getting-up time so I guess they'll be getting some sleep.
But they're still getting them over 4 on the Richter scale.
People who had cars in driveways (or on the streets) had chimneys and other brickwork thrown down on them. Squish!
The people who originally came to NZ - ie first the polynesians and then Europeans, had no idea there were giant plates underneath them.
They do now!
Anyone else want to come and live here? There's a healthy folk scene!
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: vectis
Date: 16 Sep 10 - 07:50 PM

I'll be in Aukland for Christmas and Tauranga for New Year. We will be moving down as soon as we can after we get sponsored in May '11

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Gurney
Date: 17 Sep 10 - 03:21 AM

Vectis, don't miss the Auckland FF at the end of January, if you can help it.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Tangledwood
Date: 17 Sep 10 - 06:33 PM

Anyone else want to come and live here?
Robyn

With so many Kiwis already living in Oz could it be that the whole South Island is preparing to move here too?

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 17 Sep 10 - 06:44 PM

Gee. I hope youse stay safe.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 07:34 AM

18 quakes in the last 24 hours - that's a total of just over 700 since the first big one 2 weeks ago.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 07:52 AM

Extraordinary!

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 10:52 AM

Shaky islands

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Tangledwood
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 04:21 AM

Very nerve-wracking I imagine Robyn. At least each of these tremours is releasing tension between the plates rather than storing it to be released in something catastrophic.
Having lived in PNG for a couple of years I'm familiar with frequent tremours but nothing very large. I'm not sure if we ever get used to the feeling.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Wolfhound person
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 04:34 AM

"I'm not sure if we ever get used to the feeling. "

Surely there must be something buried deep in our consciousness that ensures we don't - for our own survival.

Hope you and yours are all well, Robyn.

A friend's daughter is working in Christchurch, but she was over here when this started.

Paws

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 04:37 AM

I was abroad when this news broke,and seems to have been no coverage in Uk press since I've been back. Sorry to hear this, we had a marvellous month in NZ last year including Christchuch. Glad to hear human casualties have been few. I'm sure NZ infrastructure is better able to cope than most but still a lot of reconstruction to come by the sound of it.
Best wishes from
RtS

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 25 Sep 10 - 06:27 PM

Three weeks later and they're still having aftershocks.
The Quake map site has made a few changes so you can have 'sticky dots' that stay over the epicentre of each quake and you can select any day since it started to see the action.
The current count is 1,064!!!!!
The site, for anyone who missed it, is here:
Christchurch Quake Map.
I check it each morning and they're still having size 4.5 and over.
My brother hasn't been in touch with me but I've heard that they're doing OK. Several homes in his area were destroyed and there have been Port-a-loos placed around the streets because the pipes are still damaged and toilets not working, but the place is being cleaned up.
Some parts of the quake area had new houses built on land that is now known to be unstable - 'The foolish man built his house upon the sand......' so there is debate about whether they should try to rebuild or just plough the lot.
But that's only one small part - most of the city is back in action. Modern buildings were built to withstand this sort of thing and once the remaining old buildings are either pulled down or strengthened, in a few years you won't know the difference.
But the kids who have lived through it won't forget for a long time!
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 25 Sep 10 - 06:41 PM

Sand can go "quick" even with very little water content in the event of vibration unless it is well compacted prior to building.

1604 quakes! I just hope that means small ones instead of a big one.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Tangledwood
Date: 25 Sep 10 - 09:09 PM

That's a very interesting map Robyn. It brings the quake tally into perspective when you find how long the display takes to run.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 26 Sep 10 - 09:11 AM

thanks for the updates, Robyn, it's been a week since the last story on the ABC site re. the earthquake & that was about the kiwi chick hatching! The last quake story was a week before that.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 26 Sep 10 - 02:44 PM

I've just heard from a friend who lives near the Cashmere hills, on the outskirts of the city. She says:
"We survived but the house has lots of internal cracks and 11 windows are cracked. The hardest thing has been the lack of sleep. You can't help waking up when there's an aftershock but it's not so easy to go back to sleep. Do you remember the clay pits down on Centaurus where your ancestor met his death? The two Victorian brick houses next to them are cordoned off and have a red sticker. It would be a shame if they have to be knocked down. One of the blocks of brick shops in Sydenham that keeps appearing on TV contains Penny Lane Records. A few days before the quake we bought a record of Joan Baez and Folk Concert Down Under with Rod McKinnon, Val Murphy, Don Thoms et al. Also a Corries CD. I don't know if they have been able to rescue their stock, but it looks like the building will be coming down.
What have we learnt from the earthquake? That there is no such thing as "safe as houses" and never keep a hundred empty jam jars in a top cupboard. We needed a shovel to pick up the pieces.
I was booked to go to Australia on the 6th Sept, but I just couldn't go and leave the family, so I cancelled."

Hang in there guys!
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Sep 10 - 03:03 PM

from New Zealand Herald

There is concern that people not directly affected are losing interest..

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Sep 10 - 03:05 PM

from The Press in Christchurch.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Gurney
Date: 03 Nov 10 - 03:36 PM

And still it goes on! Two aftershocks last night, over scale 4. Daily since the big one.

It doesn't even make much of a headline here in NZ!

They are a bit sick of it in ChCh.

(That is understatment, by the way!)

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 03 Nov 10 - 04:07 PM

Gosh. Ditto on the "hang in there".

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Brian May
Date: 04 Nov 10 - 08:59 AM

My daughter lives in Lincoln, just south of Christchurch. Fortunately, the worst that happened to them, in their 4 year old house, was that the speakers fell off the wall.

The aftershock count is up around 2500 when I last looked, many of them between Prebbleton and Lincoln.

It's awful being in UK while she and her partner are undergoing all this. She's due to give birth in February, so I hope it's only the earth that's dishing out shocks!

Best wishes to all affected, we wish you all a nice quiet summer to get over it.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury
From: Little Robyn
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 04:46 AM

They're still having aftershocks - around 3 on the Richter scale and between 2 and 6 each day.
But on Boxing day, at 10.30am there was another biggie - 4.9!!! There were 32 quakes in one day! Then a 4.4 just after midnight that night.
Buildings and houses that had survived the first bout have been hit by this lot. Shops open for Boxing Day sales - the biggest day of the year for retailers, had to be closed and streets sealed off again.
Some more pictures here.
My brother Terry has rented out his house in Kaiapoi and moved to Palmerston North!
Very sensible!
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 08:03 AM

I've been listening to news reports, thanks for the pics

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 01:59 PM

The problem with the Boxing Day quakes was that most of them were centred just under the city centre and they were shallow!
So buildings that had survived the original (which was centred out in the country, several miles from Christchurch) were really hit this time.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 03:24 PM

Jeeze - hope you guys are OK. We had a quake in Cumberland a few days ago too. Chris B.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 03:48 PM

Gosh! Same hopes here.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Dec 2010
From: Little Robyn
Date: 28 Dec 10 - 02:26 PM

Well things seem to be quietening down again and they're hoping to remove the cordons from around the CBD shortly, so shoppers can go back in.
There may still be a problem at New Year - usually Cathedral Square is full of revellers around midnight and beyond but the authorities are looking for a different venue to hold the festivities.
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Jan 2011
From: Little Robyn
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 01:58 PM

It's on again - the aftershocks.
5.1 this morning - just a couple of hours ago.
No damage reported yet but some of the old buildings won't take much more.
There have been several quakes in different parts of the country, including around here but they were not very big and I didn't feel them.
This page keeps changing but right now it looks a bit scary, with quakes on both islands and a straight line from White Island, through Rotorua to Mount Taranaki (Egmont). When that joins up the whole of the North Island could split!
Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 02:02 PM

STOP THAT!

And stay safe.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Gurney
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 03:02 PM

Gnu, I've lived in Auckland since 1974, and I've never felt an earthquake.   Hope that's not famous last words. Auckland is an isthmus composed mainly of volcanos, extinct ones, we hope, but the scientists say not.
A social commentator, not a scientist, tossed in his theory this morning that the ChCh earthquakes are a new faultline forming.

The White Island to Egmont fault that Robyn spoke of is very real.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 06:29 PM

I can;t find anything on ABC News site - maybe our news services are too busy with our floods, but such big news about our neighbour should be big news here, too

best wishes

snadra

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Gurney
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 09:41 PM

Thank you, Sandra. Or Snadra. Our problems are much more localised than yours. From what we hear, those parts of Oz that aren't on fire are under water. Best wishes to you, too.

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: Brian May
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 01:23 PM

I'm waiting for my wife and daughter to come on Skype.

Their house is about 3 miles from the epicentre (just south of Prebbleton) of the latest aftershocks, last night (NZ time).

Subject: RE: BS: NZ Major Earthquake Canterbury Sep 2010
From: gnu
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 03:58 AM

Today... Here is a short article.