Christchurch

The day of the second earthquake, Tuesday, 22 February, was earthquake weather all day: hot, humid, sultry, and windless.  The thought of earthquakes is never far from my mind as they are always a possibility at any time, anywhere. I hate them; I hate the horror of nature taking over and the feeling of total disempowerment.  I have not been through an earthquake more than about 5 on the richter scale so to trying to imagine what it was like in Christchurch, is something I can only just begin to comprehend. 

The 4 September 2010 earthquake, 7.1, was higher on the richter scale, but this one at 6.3 was shallower and way more destructive.  No one died in September, but this time because it happened at lunchtime (just before 1pm) there were so many people out and about.  Buildings have collapsed on cars and buses, killing those in them, rubble from bricks have buried shoppers, and the beautiful old cathedral in the Square has fallen to its knees.

People interviewed by tv have been surprisingly calm, no tears, no histrionics, just a kind of unnerving, shocking calm, as though they can't believe they've been hauled out of wrecked buildings, or witnessed bodies buried in rubble.  They all seem so relieved to be alive.  The Mayor has been extraordinarily calm; hasn't stopped talking, in fact, but having gone through the September one, he's really taken charge, as have the police, fire, ambulance and the rescuers who are just people in the street, all helping.  Emergency accommodation has been put up in Hagley Park - tents mostly, and slats of timber for beds. 

The television coverage has been unceasing, and, at times, unnerving.  Quakes still continue to rock the city every day and night.  Night would be the worst time.

Days have gone by since I started this blog and people are talking about how to rebuild the city.  A friend sent me an old photo of me sitting on a bench in front of the Cathedral.  The top two stories of the spire are no longer there, and a huge hole ripped into the nave of the church.

The amazing thing is that no one knew about the fault line underneath the city.  For as long as NZ has been settled, Christchurch was never considered to be prone to quakes. 

We know nothing, really.