Thankful
There can't be many who haven't heard the news and seen the images of the terrible earthquake in Christchurch. Having lived in New Zealand and having experienced small quakes, I have some idea of what it feels like when the ground suddenly starts to move, either rolling along or jolting violently. I know what it is like to be inside and to have light fittings swinging and to have crockery and glasses rattling, to be asleep and woken suddenly and then have that element of fear and panic as you realise it is an earthquake. Even with a small quake, buildings can move and creak, straining as they shift off centre and then settle again.
But there is no way I can imagine just how awful it would be to have almost everything around you destroyed and to end up in a scene that resembles a war zone.
Amy whiteous lives in Christchurch and was at university the day of the earthquake. My initial panic came when I saw the news and was unable to contact her on her mobile. Obviously the network was affected but I managed to get a txt message through, and thankfully she replied after a short while, and all was well with her, other than being in shock. I have since spoken to her and she was one of the lucky ones who had power restored fairly quickly. It sounds so terrible, and the news coming out of the city isn't good at all with many dead and injured. My parents are in the North Island and weren't affected, but the danger of the same thing happening in Hawke's Bay is ever present. Where they live was destroyed by a massive quake in 1931, and to date is the worst disaster in terms of lives lost in NZ.
But there is no way I can imagine just how awful it would be to have almost everything around you destroyed and to end up in a scene that resembles a war zone.
Amy whiteous lives in Christchurch and was at university the day of the earthquake. My initial panic came when I saw the news and was unable to contact her on her mobile. Obviously the network was affected but I managed to get a txt message through, and thankfully she replied after a short while, and all was well with her, other than being in shock. I have since spoken to her and she was one of the lucky ones who had power restored fairly quickly. It sounds so terrible, and the news coming out of the city isn't good at all with many dead and injured. My parents are in the North Island and weren't affected, but the danger of the same thing happening in Hawke's Bay is ever present. Where they live was destroyed by a massive quake in 1931, and to date is the worst disaster in terms of lives lost in NZ.