Another big quake hits New Zealand

[Brucetiki]

I sense this is going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better. The quake has happened at a time when people are concentrated in office buildings and cafes on a working day of the week. This quake was shallower than the Canterbury quake of Sept 4 2010, and centred closer to Christchurch (at Lyttleton). Pancaked buildings, flattened cars, rock falls etc. Fire could be another problem, along with broken water/sewerage pipes so health risks will quickly become apparent in coming days.

Have to agree with this. We're only seeing the superficial damage at the moment, I expect the search and rescue in the rubble and pancaked buildings to see a sharp rise in the death toll, and NZ Herald is already reporting the dead lying in streets!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=10708013

[Darth Vader]

Just made contact (well, a staffer here did) with the Australian Women's Cricket team in Christchurch.
All are okay according to the PR. Phew!

[A Mum]

The images that are starting to come out are making me cry

Just saw the news where one co worker was carrying out another from a building,
But the co-worker doing the carrying looked like he was all of 17/18 years old

Just announced 17 confirmed deaths thus far.

[westcoastpanther]

All my lot are ok, Skype is handy!!

[A Mum]

All my lot are ok, Skype is handy!!

That's great news WCP - good to hear.

[A Mum]

Updated - 65 confirmed deaths.

[cripple]

shocking. Unfortunately though i don't think this is going to get the compassion it deserves due to a certain level of "natural disaster fatigue". I hope i am wrong because this looks truly devastating and no city deserves something like this to happen.
Lets hope that Wakefield designed christchurch as well as he did adelaide in case of a disaster.

[locky801]

Devistating news, like many been following this on the tube, hopefully the death toll will not rise any higher than it already tragically is.

[Phantom Gossiper]

I dont know about anyone else, but im starting to find it a little bit worrying all these disasters etc happening recently and so close

[Sky Pilot]

I dont know about anyone else, but im starting to find it a little bit worrying all these disasters etc happening recently and so close

I think they are due to climate change.

[Brucetiki]

wasn't Christchurch a sister city of Adelaide (or still is)...well I guess we're both known as the 'City of Churches'.

[cripple]

wasn't Christchurch a sister city of Adelaide (or still is)...well I guess we're both known as the 'City of Churches'.

Refer to my earlier post. They are both cities that originated out of the thinkings of Edward Gibbon Wakefield whilst he was in prison for a kidnapping a lords daughter or some such misdeed. The idea was to ease the population issues in england by selling off land and establishing a new community somewhere else.
Adelaide and Christchurch have a lot in common if you look at their layouts as well. Wakefield (or maybe his brother) actually decided to live in Christchurch instead of adelaide once out of prison.

[fish]

I dont know about anyone else, but im starting to find it a little bit worrying all these disasters etc happening recently and so close

I think they are due to climate change.

More intense and more frequent extreme weather events are one of the predicted impacts of climate change.

Earthquakes are not.

[Dutchy]

Been watching the news like most of us have, why are they only focusing on the CBD? Ive seen no pictures of the surrounding suburbs and housing etc? Are they not affected as much/at all?

[scoob]

Been watching the news like most of us have, why are they only focusing on the CBD? Ive seen no pictures of the surrounding suburbs and housing etc? Are they not affected as much/at all?

I would think that only the CBD has high rise buildings and the level of dramage / loss of life would be greater in these areas... Would also expect them only to show the dramatic pancake buildings on the news - sensationalising something that clearly doesn't need it...

[Squawk]

Been watching the news like most of us have, why are they only focusing on the CBD? Ive seen no pictures of the surrounding suburbs and housing etc? Are they not affected as much/at all?

Laziness. Much to see in a small area.

Surrounding areas are affected - including by liquefaction. A house with a crack through it, alongside a wet road, is not as visually impactful. Notwithstanding, thousands of people live in homes like that on streets like that, without power or water, and are sheltering in temporary evacuation centres.

The media cycle will soon begin to turn to the 'blame' and the 'human interest' aspects, as rescue and recovery slows down. They will be chasing the blonde lady rescued from the roof; Ann Vose who has been talking to family and media from her position trapped under a desk; and looking for a uniformed and a civilian hero to talk to as well.

Also, it is very hard to get around on the roads. But make no mistake, the media can be as much of a hinderance as a help (if not moreso a hinderance!).

[Sojourner]

The Salvation Army in New Zealand have launched an appeal for funds to deal with the crisis, you can donate online through their website if you would like to try and do something to help, no doubt people are fatigued out by disaster appeals, yet this is one instance where a number of people are really going to rely heavilly on groups like the Salvos to get them through the next few weeks and on into the rebuilding stage when the time is right.

http://www.salvationarmy.org.nz/researc ... e-response

[Bully]

sad news this.

Lets hope they can recover as fast as possible.

[Psyber]

It is tragic, and I saw one report that suggested there was some uncertainty about whether Christchurch should be rebuilt in view of its earthquake history.
That would be a major decision.

Hearing the NZ news reports relayed by the ABC also brought this to mind: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealan ... ont_vowels

[A Mum]

My friend in New Zealand just posted on facebook that about 15mins ago they just had another earthquake - can't see anything on the news yet - she said very scary stuff.

Not sure I could live there anymore if I was there

She is 3 hours away from where the quake happened but still felt it strong.