Hi folks,
Many thanks for your concern. I/we are OK.
Here is part of what I wrote on FB
> Some bridges damaged. A few roads split / moved sideways. Bad weather
> forecast for tomorrow but it's fine today. Significant damage in parts to
> water supply and sewerage system. Significant electricity outage in
> places. The northern township of Kaiapoi has very significant
> infrastructure loss.
>
> Latest details are: 7.1 magnitude quake at 16km depth (shallow) 30 km west
> of Chch. Many after shocks continue 6 hours afterwards. State of emergency
> just declared. No loss of life so far. At least 6 people rescued from
> holes that appeared in ground through solifluction !! Many buildings (many
> historic) with brick facades and sheathing have been damaged as the brick
> came down. Brother Ian's motel apparently has quite a bit of damage to the
> older structure with one chimney down; Ian is in Hamilton. Family all OK
> as far as I can tell.
This part of New Zealand has historically not had severe earthquakes. My
former home, on hard ground on a significant hill, is fine and suffered no
damage. Most of Christchurch city is built on old swamp (peat, sea-sand,
some gravel and water). Geologists had warned years ago that should a
quake hit Canterbury, this land would wobble like a jelly, and so it did.
We were woken, at least 400 km distant, at 4.35 am, by a strong rolling
wave that persisted for at least 15 seconds - could have been longer.
Christchurch had aftershocks for at least 12 hours.
At the epicentre there was lateral movement of at least 4 metres.
The quake was very shallow at 16km. Here, the underlying hard rock is
overlain by a very great depth of alluvial gravels.
Try this URL; don't know if it is still there
http://www.facebook.com/l/63f2c;www.stuff.co.nz
Yesterday it had 37 images. If anyone wants a map of the telephoned
responses and indications of strength, e-mail me off-list and I will gladly
send a copy.
The city has taken a severe hit, and an official state of emergency has been
declared until some time on Monday.
Having looked at the images, sitting at my computer in the early hours of the
morning (as I am) I feel that I am still in CHCH, but not so !
I still have stuff stored in Sumner, but apparently the house where it is, was
not damaged.
Brian Swale.
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