Christchurch Earthquake

[longears15]

The New Zealand city of Christchurch has been hit by another earthquake (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/22/3145320.htm). There is a lot of damage, apparently a lot of people injured and also some killed.

I know we've got a few NZ members here, and I hope that you and your families are safe.

[smorbie1]

Yes, of course. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

[kiwi_tea]

There are multiple injuries, several dead. Bodies being pulled out of bookstores, and people crushed. Two buses have been crushed by falling buildings. Several people I know are safe, I'm assuming others are well.

There were numerous people living in damaged houses following the last quake, and that may contribute to the overall fatalities. Experts say this is a different faultline to the one that opened up near Christchurch in September.

A lot of us are hanging on every word of the live broadcasts.

Live feed (http://www.abc.net.au/news/abcnews24/)

Edit:

I'm c.300km (c.190 miles) from the quake, but have friends in the city who are posting on FB and Twitter. Lots of buildings are down, hundreds of people are trapped. Hundreds of people are just swarming in parks because they have nowhere else to go or no way to get home. Fallen building facades have flattened a lot of people's cars in the CBD. Our Civil Defence doesn't yet have a death toll. Really strong aftershocks, as high as magnitude 5.7.

Edit: Death toll is officially 17 and climbing, with hundreds injured.

Edit: Prime Minister just confirmed 65+ dead.

[LadyAwesome]

Glad to here you are fine kiwi!!! I am hanging on too, so many people we know are there, plus I live in invers so its so so close >.<

[kiwi_tea]

Take care kaylarox. We felt it in Wellington, did you feel it down there? I hate still having people I know unaccounted for at such a late hour! The media coverage has been good, but you know I heard one interviewee say his house was only assessed by the Earthquake Commission THIS MORNING before the quake! They've had since September! It's quite distressing.

[LadyAwesome]

All my friends/family are safe :)
I never felt it, but I was on my lunch break day dreaming - Ughhhhh how many earthquakes do you have in Welly, I am ment to be moving there in January lol.

This is an odd find too http://www.predictweather.com/ArticleShow.aspx?ID=334&type=home

[kiwi_tea]

Ken Ring is a scam artist, so I wouldn't worry too much about what he has to say. I hardly ever feel any earthquakes here, and I've lived here about five years.

Edit: Yay! They've found a pocket of 15 people alive. Still hundreds missing.

[LadyAwesome]

OOoooo yay!!! Someone said there ment to be like a big one there in June, so go glue everything to the walls :)

Jokes how can anyone predict anything anyway.... nature never worked that way.

[Saturnfly]

Was scary. :c I was in the video store, just browsing, as you do, when everything starting to sway slightly.
So sad seeing the death toll rise. They were saying how lucky CHCH was with the last one, being early in the morning. :/ I guess you can't take anything for granted.

[LadyAwesome]

Where do you live saturnfly?

[Saturnfly]

Dunedin. :3 (luckily)

[ekrubynaffit]

I live in Hornby which came out pretty unscathed, so we are very lucky. Have a few friends still missing and some in the ctv building which they have given up hope in a rescue mission and is now a recovery mission. I work at the airport and was there from 6am until almost 8pm and due back at 4am. Its been a horrible 2 days but I still think I am better off than alot of others and my heart and thoughts go out to all my fellow cantanbrians. Anyone who needs info on flights in and out of the city bookings changed please pm me with your reference number instead of trying to get through on the 0800 number and send me your cell phone number and I will see what I can do to help you get out earlier. Just be aware all flights to all destinations out of christchurch are full until at least Saturday, but alot of people are not showing for flights and we are able to make you standby, please pass this information on to others.

[longears15]

Glad you guys are okay. A friend of mine has lost her house, I think. Don't know much more than that 'cos she managed to update her FB page before her phone went flat and that's it :(

[LadyAwesome]

ekrubynaffit what a awesome person you are, My bosses daughter came home today she was in the beauty school building near the cbd and was just in tears at work, it took all my force not to cry with her. Just terrible.

[kiwi_tea]

ekrubynaffit my best wishes and hopes against hope are with your missing friends. Everyone I know down there is finally accounted for, thankfully. Facebook really is amazingly handy during disasters like this. Everyone in Christchurch and the surrounding area are in my thoughts again tonight.

[Zela]

My thoughts are with you guys and your friends and family. A distant relation of mine lives out there and fortunately she is safe. However her recent (ex) husband's house fell down, luckily he wasn't in it at the time.

[LadyAwesome]

Wojtek - The world is coming together to help us which is so amazing!!!