Another 6.3 earthquake - we cry!! cry!! cry!!! By kiwiscoot (Read 543 times)

[kiwiscoot]

Today is just one extremely heartbreaking day for us. Just before 1pm this afternoon our city was devastated by a 6.3 earthquake. The worst time as everyone would be out on the streets for lunch.
I went for a ride in the city but somehow the shock of it was just too much , so I did not take many pictures. How can you take a picture of a double story house that has pancaked when someone could still be inside??!! A house with 2 feet of mud thru it and you know it's someones home? Heart-breaking - heart breaking - terrible - terrible. Saw lots of buildings down and people wandering around in a kind of a daze. Had a heap of aftershocks, some up to 5.5. Does not do the nerves any good.
Think of us please.
Kiwiscoot
Christchurch

[madcollie]

Pulling for you and all your countrymen Kiwi. Just hearing about this on the news this morning.

May the injuries be low and recovery quick!

M/C

[Bashan]

Sorry man, I know that sounds lame-o but really, your Scooter Doc family is sorry that this horrible thing is happening. If there's something we can do please let us know. We might be able to organize a fund drive if you have a charity that would help. Just say the word and I'll start it.

What's the deal? This certainly isn't normal, is it volcanic activity doing this or what? We're thinking of ya pal, hang in there. Rich

[ccprof]

My thoughts are with you and your countrymen and women. I'm a former member of our state's Disaater/Critical Incident Team. I hope NZ has something like that. We were trained to due Critical Incident Stress Management for victims and first responders. I've worked major floods and tornadoes but never an earthquake. Earthman has some good points. It's ok to grieve and feel shocked but you all need to move on. I'd be with you if I could.

[wolfhound]

This answers my enquiry post of this morning so I will delete it. Kiwiscoot, we are glad that you are OK and as riding brothers we share your pain. What Earthman says I believe goes
for all of us. If we can help in any way just let us know.

[mcalli]

I read about it this morning and saw some pics but had to stop looking because it was too painful. I pray that the people who are alive and trapped get some comfort and a quick rescue. I am glad that you are ok (at least physically)kwikiscoot. You are in my prayers that you also will be comforted. How you must hurt. I pray that any one near and dear to you is unhurt. I pray that our mighty God will comfort all those in pain. May God and the Holy Trinity be with you all.

[kiwiscoot]

It's rough. One just want to sit down and cry.! I went for a scoot into town last night to take some photos but lost the will to take more pictures, guess shock. How can you take a photo of a two storied house that is now one story and there could still be people in it??  here are some photos I took. Still shakes as I'm writing







4 cars crushed by a house.



my wifes scoot parked with far car parked with it's nose down a crack in the road.

thanks for your thoughts. Very much appreciated.

[mthomas]

Best wishes Kiwi.

[Cruiser]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your countrymen, Kiwi.

[mauiboy]

Being surrounded by quakes (monthly) and tsunamis (yearly) I tend to get a little complacent, they happen and we all get a day watching bad TV clutching bottled water. I could not imagine how terrible it must be to see this hit and cause so much devastation. I remember feeling very mixed reactions to last years tsunami in the islands, the odd feeling of knowing pretty much for sure our house would be destroyed, but the blessing of knowing that my family was safe. Luckily it came as surges not a huge wave and everyones property was safe as well as themselves.
Mother nature is immensely powerful, its so sad to see such a tragedy NZ has not been having a good time recently.
Re documenting and taking pictures, I totally understand how you feel, but it is important to do it if you can and do not put yourself in danger. Those pictures help people understand the gravity of the situation, they have a special impact words cannot when it comes to relief funds and passing laws on construction regulations in the future. Documenting events like this, odd as it sounds, is a positive thing.
As a fellow ring of fire dweller, I am very glad you and yours are safe.

[kiwiscoot]

Thanks for all your kind words.
Spent most of today in the city helping Veterinary surgeons and medical radiology clinics to get their X-ray gear going. One vets broke down crying when his x-ray machine did not go after everything was back in place. His practice was like a war zone, his house is condemned even tho he still lives in it and he has a friend that is among the unaccounted ones. During the time I was there I heard how he comforted an old lady who was beside herself because her loved pet rabbit ate one of her pills. I was glad to help him and offer support.
The media only show the glamorous bits of the city damage and the old historic buildings as if we care about them - people are more important to us. The sout-east of the city where ordinary people live looks like a war zone. Silt mixed with sewage from the liquifaction thru homes, roads that you can hardly negotiate with a car, sinkholes, churches just piles of rubble and you see folks just toiling away one wheelbarrow after another of silt from their homes and their properties. Heart-breaking. Corner convenience stores just rubble - someones living gone. But people smile, first questions are how is your family and then how is your home? The human spirit is wonderfully resilient.
I live in the north-west which was not affected that much. We don't take it a day at a time, but an aftershock at a time, sometimes up to 4 per hour.
thanks again.

[mauiboy]

Many euros are very lucky, they escape most of mother natures fury. Very few (and small) quakes, no regular 20-30ft 'swells', no tsunamis or active volcanoes. I know moving into the ring opened my eyes. You are right about the media, another reason why your story and your pictures can tell a tale no newscast can. Mahalo for sharing and helping the world understand.

It's also worth considering the efforts of small, rarely thanked folks like NOAA who do their best to keep people informed and warned of impending natural disasters. More funding for research into predicting quakes and warning people like we have for tsunamis could save a lot of lives. Your highlighting of the human side helps prompt that research.

The best of luck to you all and I hope the world responds to help.

[mcalli]

kwikiscoot, I am glad to hear that you are keeping yourself busy by helping out. I'm just like you. I could never leave the site and go elsewhere. I would have to help out in order to keep my sanity. What you are doing is hard, but you will be blessed for it. How is your wife holding up? Is she helping out also?