New Zealand cops it again..

[Gob]

New Zealand police say there are reports of multiple fatalities in Christchurch after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake - classed as an aftershock to last September's devastating 7.1 magnitude quake - struck today, bringing buildings down on to two buses and trapping people in buildings.

The fire service said numerous people were trapped in buildings.

"The shake has been a lot worse, maybe not in intensity but as far as damage is concerned, and there are numerous people trapped," a spokesman told Radio New Zealand.

Amid reports of burst water mains, gas leaks, and fires in the city, phone networks were also badly damaged.


All flights across the nation were initially grounded as emergency crews worked amid the shattered buildings, including the cathedral, to evacuate the city centre and rescue those trapped. Police advised evacuees to go to the nearest civil defence centre.

Amber Armitage said people were wandering around central Christchurch trying to get out but all exits from the city were blocked. There was a strong smell of gas and clouds of dust.

A bus on Colombo Street was "completely trapped under bricks" and people were working to free passengers trapped in it.


A priest standing outside the rubble of the damaged cathedral told New Zealand television: "It is huge. We just don't know if there are people under this rubble."

Gary Moore, one of 20 people trapped on the 12th floor of the Forsyth Barr building, said he and his colleagues are trapped after the stairwell collapsed. People were in a state of shock but were not injured, he said.

He said he was not sure if other people on other floors were trapped.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key feared the worst after the shallow quake struck at 12.51pm (10.51am AEDT).

"It is a very populated time with people at work, children at school," he said.

"Sadly I cannot rule out whether there have been fatalities or not, but we are aware of significant damage to buildings that had people in them at the time."

http://www.smh.com.au/world/multiple-de ... 1b356.html

[Sean]

At least 65 dead now...

And typically, news channels here are reporting on Aussies who may have been slightly inconvenienced by the quake...

[Daisy]

This is so sad

[Crackpot]

Yeah Aussies should never be slightly inconvenienced.

[Gob]

THE death toll in the Christchurch earthquake stood at 65 last night, and there were fears it would exceed 200 as rescue teams in New Zealand's second largest city searched frantically all night for survivors.

Up to 200 people were feared trapped in buildings that collapsed as an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 struck at lunchtime yesterday.
Bystanders described the city as a war zone, with dead bodies lying on streets, buildings demolished, vehicles flattened, roads ruptured, and water and silt - earthquake liquefaction - swamping the central city.

The blacked out central city was under heavy security last night. About 400 army personnel are expected to be on duty today.

As aftershocks struck, office workers jumped from fourth floors, abseiled down the side of collapsed office blocks or were rescued by cherry pickers while gas mains ruptured, and fires broke out, threatening to engulf the city centre.

Christchurch Hospital was unable to cope and the city ran out of ambulances. Private cars ferried people to medical help and many of the injured were taken to other towns.

The Prime Minister, John Key, confirmed the death toll at 65. The opposition Labour leader, Phil Goff, who also flew to the city, said police had told him that between 200 and 300 people might be dead.

The mayor of Christchurch, Bob Parker, said at least 100 people were trapped in about six sites and up to 200 people could be trapped across the city. ''I don't believe there will be thousands dead, but we're certainly talking dozens of people who are in peril and they may not be able to be saved.'

Last night Sky News reported that rescuers had pulled 120 people alive from the rubble.

A state of emergency was declared and the central business district evacuated. Power and gas were shut off to prevent fire. The city's water and sewerage was damaged and people were urged to conserve and boil water.

Mr Key said extra police and army reinforcements had been brought in to help. ''I don't think we can go past the fact that we may well be witnessing New Zealand's darkest day,'' he said.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/a-broken-ci ... 1b46g.html

[The Hen]

Oh come on Sean and Crackpot. I mean, it isn't like either the US or the UK would be reporting on the fate of their citizens in an emergency.

Sheesh.

Many people who live here are over there. Many people who live here have relatives over there as well.

For our part, (Canberra's part ... the arse end of Oz) we have sent over a contingent of 9 people to assist with the search and rescue. We are also looking at releasing cadaver dogs in the near future.

[Crackpot]

My Dad was in Christchurch last fall (about 2 weeks after the first one)

still can't lose your sense of humor.

[Sean]

Oh come on Sean and Crackpot. I mean, it isn't like either the US or the UK would be reporting on the fate of their citizens in an emergency.

Sheesh.

Of course they would Hen but that is one thing I have noticed on the news since I moved here. It comes across as "Let's go live to interview Bruce Wallaby originally from Dingoville NT whose house shook a bit... oh and apparently a bunch of New Zealanders are dead too..." Exaggerated? Yes but that's how it comes across to an outsider... In fact I've just asked around the office (all Aussies) who laughed and told me that it's "an Aussie thing".

Actually what really pissed me off was the TV chef Iain Hewitson being interviewed from Christchurch on TV yesterday evening. With the death toll standing at 65 he stated that the saddest thing about the whole affair was the loss of the cathedral. Now that takes a special kind of dick!

[Gob]

God didn't like the design?

[The Hen]

Iain IS a special kind of dick. And quite frankly, Brits seem more concerned over animal injuries than people injuries.

[Gob]

Heartbreaking scenes of families in agony are emerging from Christchurch as police begin delivering the dreaded bad news to anxious relatives of the trapped.

The plight of Kent Manning, 15, his sister Libby and their father, who asked not to be identified, was captured by a photo journalist.

Near the smouldering remains of the Canterbury Television building, the pair sat on a rain-sodden patch of grass waiting for news of their mother, Donna, a television presenter who they hadn't heard from since the quake.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/time-runnin ... 1b50h.html

[Sean]

Iain IS a special kind of dick. And quite frankly, Brits seem more concerned over animal injuries than people injuries.

I can't find a single thing to disagree with in that post Hen!

[Sean]

Heartbreaking scenes of families in agony are emerging from Christchurch as police begin delivering the dreaded bad news to anxious relatives of the trapped.

The plight of Kent Manning, 15, his sister Libby and their father, who asked not to be identified, was captured by a photo journalist.

Near the smouldering remains of the Canterbury Television building, the pair sat on a rain-sodden patch of grass waiting for news of their mother, Donna, a television presenter who they hadn't heard from since the quake.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/time-runnin ... 1b50h.html

I've just followed that link. There is absolutely no need for anyone to run that photo. It is callous in the extreme.

Hey kids! Here's a reminder of the moment you found out that your mum was dead!

[The Hen]

Photojournalists are dicks too. They will be the first against the wall to be shot come the revolution.

Only problem is, they will quibble about the exposures.

[rubato]

The pictures looked like downtown Santa Cruz after our quake in '89. That kind of experience can change your life forever.

I lost any interest in seeing scary movies after that. Right up to now.

Best of luck to the survivors. I bet they change their minds about preserving brick buildings and enforcing building codes after this. We did. If you're in earthquake country any buildings not designed for it should be torn down, like that "Pyne" building which is an example of 'soft story' construction which was shown to be a death trap in the '70 San Fernando quake and many others in Latin America of the same era. 'Soft Story' = 'pancake effect'

yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

Meanwhile, back in New Zealand...

When Johnny met Warnie yesterday, the Basin Reserve became the perfect intersection of Hollywood, the sports hall of fame and the Beehive.

Prime Minister John Key and cricket's Sultan of Spin, Australian Shane Warne, were just two of the big names who turned out for the Fill the Basin event to raise funds for the Christchurch earthquake appeal.

Sir Ian McKellen, James Nesbitt, Russell Crowe, Mark Hadlow and Martin Freeman represented the thesps.

Crowe, cousin of former New Zealand cricket captains Martin and Jeff Crowe, recalled touring Christchurch in 1986 with the Rocky Horror Show.

"I've been told the theatre's roof has collapsed, but there's no point in looking back, we've got to look forward ...

"The principal message is that New Zealanders, from all walks of life and wherever they are in the world, are 100 per cent behind the people of Canterbury and the city of Christchurch."

As for the cricketers, it was a who's who of the country's greatest.

Sir Richard Hadlee, Stephen Fleming, the brains behind this event, Crowe, Bruce Edgar, Andrew Jones, Nathan Astle, Mark Greatbatch, Geoff Allott, Rod Latham and Ewen Chatfield were all there. Some had impressive paunches, some looked like they could play for New Zealand again tomorrow.

The can't-miss event was Key squaring off against Warne. Giving it a pistols-at-dawn edge was that the PM has confessed to having a soft spot for Warne's latest squeeze, Liz Hurley.

Key, who had a secret net session at Parnell Cricket Club on Saturday, said the 22 yards he walked to take guard was like walking to the "gallows".

At stake was not life or death, but $100,000 if he could hit a boundary. A juicy full toss was slapped to the ropes - cheque, mate.

Warne said he had a love-hate relationship with New Zealanders. "I love them, they hate me. When Stephen [Fleming] rang me and I saw the pictures on TV, it was the least I could do to come over and help out."

The game ended when Umaga hit Warne for six. Somebody won, but no one cared who. The figure that truly mattered was this: more than half a million dollars was raised.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/cricket/news/ ... d=10712253

[Gob]

Six months on....

Six months after an earthquake killed dozens of people in New Zealand's second largest city, Christchurch, the consequences for thousands more are playing out in slow motion.



It's been a life-changing event, one of those events that forces you to think hard, and make some big decisions.

Six thousand people in Christchurch are living in the so-called red zone, where the land was so badly shaken up the government has decided they must leave.

They don't have to go until 2013 but many have already left. In my street, Avonside Drive, which runs along the Avon river, there are 92 homes. Now there are only 18 families left. I count the lights every evening.

If, like us, you are in the red zone, where do you move to?

Some people want to get away completely and put it all behind them. I know two families that are going to Australia - one has already gone, the other is about to go. They are confident they can get jobs there, so they are just upping and leaving.

Other people are moving to other cities in New Zealand. But my family has chosen to stay put for now, to help out and work through it.

We aim to move to another home in the Christchurch area, but we are faced with some complicated financial choices.

The government will buy the land our house is built on and the insurance company will pay us what it would have cost to repair the house, had we been able to stay here.

But we live on the east side of the city, which was the worst affected and like many other people, we cannot afford to move to the more expensive west.

A lot of people are therefore looking at out-of town locations, but prices there have been rapidly escalating, because of the high demand. We are hoping they will peak, and then fall.

It's been a really stressful time for everyone. The drinking of alcohol has gone up about 10-fold, I can assure you of that. Over-the-counter sales of sleeping pills have also rocketed. Today there were two people in the supermarket having a face-to-face shouting match - you don't often see that. People are tense, like a stretched rubber band.

We are really lucky that the New Zealand government is offering to buy so many people out. It's sad for anyone to have to move from the community they always wanted to live in, but if the government had not given this guarantee, we would be a lot worse off.

Economically, the future of the city is unclear. Insurance companies won't issue any new policies until we go two months without a level-four earthquake. We had almost got there until a few days ago, when a few more big shocks came along. A lot of expletives were uttered.

(We have had so much practice, everyone can instantly tell now what level a quake is.)

This is bad for business. The Crowne Plaza hotel, quite a landmark in this part of the city, declared a few days ago that the building would be coming down and would not be rebuilt.

They say they cannot afford to rebuild - there are many costly new technical requirements that have to be followed - and they cannot get a new hotel insured.

Our own home has a few cracks. A lot of windows don't open and close properly, and nor does the front door.

Avonside Drive is now below the level of the river, so where we used to look out on lush greenery we now have a freshly built shingle retaining wall.

This will all become government-owned land. They have not said what they will do with it, but there is speculation that in five or 10 years the land will be fit for development again.

Some people would like to have the option to come back, but there is no sign that they will be given that option.

If there has been upside to all this, it has been the community spirit that has arisen. Dozens of new community groups have been formed. Each street has a co-ordinator, who passes information to a committee for that particular suburb.

Ultimately this information is conveyed to the government in Wellington. The same committees also help to gather information, from officials and insurers, and convey it back to street level.

Here is one example of community spirit.

There is a group called Eddington Action, whose members realised there were a number of elderly people in their area, living in houses that were in poor condition even before the quake.

Now, every weekend, builders and volunteers are carrying out repairs to two of these houses - one on Saturday, one on Sunday.

That's a pretty cool result.

Brian Parker is a teacher trainer who works in his spare time for the Canterbury Communities Recovery Network CanCERN - an umbrella group for 40 residents' groups in Christchurch.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14620726

[loCAtek]

Um yea, welcome to reality, Cali-style.

[The Hen]

We are really lucky that the New Zealand government is offering to buy so many people out. It's sad for anyone to have to move from the community they always wanted to live in, but if the government had not given this guarantee, we would be a lot worse off.

This is a marvelous initiative of the NZ government.

It would be nice to see more Government's also taking similar action should disaster hit a region within their jurisdiction.

[quaddriver]

what? paying people to do what they should have already done or, more inteligently, not entered into in the first place?

beleive it or not, there are some people who dont live on volcanos, at the low lying beach, in seismically active areas, during hurricane season.

they call them 'pennsylvanians'. everyone aspires to be one, but few actually qualify. so they wear steeler shirts instead.