Earthquake in New Zealand

tovo
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Tue Feb 22, 2011 1:58 pm

There are no adequate words Chas. Hopefully they will continue to pull people out of the rubble alive. Very glad your family is OK.


AndyT
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Tue Feb 22, 2011 4:58 pm

Chas, I'm so glad to hear your family is safe. We (the USA) dispatched some SAR teams to you with supplies. They should be on the ground by now helping out. I pray that no more life is lost in this disaster.


reiver
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Tue Feb 22, 2011 6:12 pm

Chas, glad to hear that your family is safe - hope the news is good for you, Bill - and any other TG members down there.

Stuart


Lavallee
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Tue Feb 22, 2011 7:10 pm

This is really bad, I am really glad your loved one are OK

Marc


AcousticAl
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Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:18 pm

Our thoughts are with New Zealand through this terrible tragedy.

Be safe, Chas.


Chasplaya
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Wed Feb 23, 2011 12:13 am

Thank you to everyone for your kind words , thoughts and prayers.

The international assistance is overwhelming with USAR teams coming from Britain, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and America. Police and military from across NZ and Singapore have been deployed to the City and 300 Police from Aussie are on the way to assist.

Half a dozen people arrested for looting already, incredible how callous people can be in times like this.

The toll now stands at 55 identified and 20 not identified. 100's injured, 300 reported missing still and these figures may also rise according to media. Death toll expected to rise as many areas not even been searched yet as rescue efforts concentrate on major sites. One of the major sites has been abandoned due to buildings in proximity being unstable and too dangerous. The rescue coordinators leave little hope for anyone left in that building. The tallest hotel in City, 26 floors has moved over a metre to one side and several floors apparently have already collapsed.

Power restored to 60%, no water or sewer for days maybe weeks.

I am so thankful my family have escaped injury, homes are damaged but they can be replaced people can't be. My daughter flew out this afternoon and will be with me tomorrow for a short while before returning to Christchurch.

Tragic, but given the size of the quake and the damage its amazing tolls are not even higher, testimony to modern building standards maybe or just fate...


BigBear
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Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:09 am

Chas- Our hearts, prayers and good wishes go out to you, your family and all our Kiwi friends. May God comfort those who have lost so much and speed the recovery of a very important and vital city and its people.

The civil engineer in me can't help but mention that as quakes go this wasn't a particularly big one. Much smaller than the 7+ magnitude quakes we've seen recently in Chile, Japan and Indonesia. The reason this quake was so destructive because it was so shallow, only about 2.5 miles deep.

The shallower the quake the greater the amplitude and wave it forms. When it's deep the mass of the ground absorbs much of this movement. Even the two major aftershocks, which were smaller in intensity, did more damage than most big quakes elsewhere. Christchurch was in the wrong place at just the right time.

It was very sad to see the steeple collapse on the Christchurch itself. I predict your building codes will change greatly after this. But knowing the grit and resourcefulness of the Kiwis you guys will have it rebuilt soon. It may take much longer to repair the lives lost.

Stay well my friend!


Chasplaya
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Wed Feb 23, 2011 2:11 pm

BigBear wrote:
Chas- Our hearts, prayers and good wishes go out to you, your family and all our Kiwi friends. May God comfort those who have lost so much and speed the recovery of a very important and vital city and its people.

The civil engineer in me can't help but mention that as quakes go this wasn't a particularly big one. Much smaller than the 7+ magnitude quakes we've seen recently in Chile, Japan and Indonesia. The reason this quake was so destructive because it was so shallow, only about 2.5 miles deep.

The shallower the quake the greater the amplitude and wave it forms. When it's deep the mass of the ground absorbs much of this movement. Even the two major aftershocks, which were smaller in intensity, did more damage than most big quakes elsewhere. Christchurch was in the wrong place at just the right time.

It was very sad to see the steeple collapse on the Christchurch itself. I predict your building codes will change greatly after this. But knowing the grit and resourcefulness of the Kiwis you guys will have it rebuilt soon. It may take much longer to repair the lives lost.

Stay well my friend!
Thanks Rick for your concerns, my family were lucky to escape injury that's for sure.

This 6.3 Quake is now being classed as an Aftershock to last Septembers 7.1, you are correct though its the shallow depth that's been the causal factor this time. Building codes in NZ are generally well advanced; however, given the large number of Historic building built over 100yrs ago you can't do much for them, although the Cathedral was in the process of being reinforced as this quake struck, in pictures you can see parts of it relatively unscathed, unfortunately they hadn't yet started on the iconic steeple. In addition two of the main rescue sites are buildings which survived last September but weakened and still listed for repair. The Prime Minister has declared this a National Emergency to ensure the necessary resources are freed up and made available. The rescue phase is still ongoing but it looks as if the recovery phase has also kicked off. The infrastructure damage is being reported better and its huge, more than initially thought but as you say this can be fixed lives can't be. Given the extent of the damage I believe Christchurch is lucky not to have suffered greater loss of life.

Thanks again to those who have sent pm's and emails of support, I still haven't heard from any other NZ'er members hope they are ok.


haoli25
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Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:03 pm

I just found out a couple of hours ago that my friends are okay. Their home didn't do so well, but they are okay. The videos I have seen of the "Garden City" are just heartbreaking.


If you can help, please do.

thanks,

Bill



http://www.redcross.org.nz/


willem
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Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:08 pm

haoli25 wrote:
I just found out a couple of hours ago that my friends are okay. Their home didn't do so well, but they are okay. The videos I have seen of the "Garden City" are just heartbreaking.


If you can help, please do.

thanks,

Bill



http://www.redcross.org.nz/



Bill..i am happy for you,,,


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