Christchurch nz downtown wiped out by earthquake

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  • martin ewen
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2000
    • 1887

    Christchurch nz downtown wiped out by earthquake

    It's real bad. The cathedral in cathedral square has collapsed. Massive damage and many fatalities. Aftershocks almost as strong as the initial quake this afternoon. Downtown is basically wiped out.
    New Zealand earthquake: a major quake hit New Zeland's second largest city Tuesday, local time. Initial reports indicate collapsed buildings and possible casualties from the New Zealand earthquake.


    Latest breaking news articles, photos, video, blogs, reviews, analysis, opinion and reader comment from New Zealand and around the World - NZ Herald


    Last edited by martin ewen; Feb-21-2011, 10:05 PM.
  • nick nickolas
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2000
    • 528

    #2
    yes Martin I see on news here,,

    how are our friends??

    any news from there would be great folks,

    Nick x

    Comment

    • martin ewen
      Senior Member
      • Dec 2000
      • 1887

      #3
      Powers out for most people so mobiles and Internet is not happening. Be a couple of days before communication gets back and still no real idea of the death toll. (ok stands at 17)

      I got reports from my bros , one in Wellington one further north.

      Parents house trashed but they are living in the basement for now. No power sewage or water and some bridges are out so parts of the city like summer I think is isolated. The tunnels closed.
      GNS Science reports that another aftershock struck at 5.19pm measuring 4.6. The 13th since the 6.3 earthquake at 12.51pm.


      Take a couple of days to get anywhere nearer a clear picture. No official word on a death toll. All I know is my mum hurt her foot cos she was in the kitchen getting thrown around and dad was ok cos he was just in the garden rolling around.

      Bros on the way down to help and probably take them over the coast if they can drag them away.
      Last edited by martin ewen; Feb-21-2011, 11:38 PM.

      Comment

      • Isabella
        Senior Member
        • Nov 2005
        • 403

        #4
        News via Figo -

        death toll at 65
        still missing at 200

        People are trying to figure out whether to sleep outside where a tree might fall on them or inside where the house might fall down.

        Lots of people downtown can't get to their homes.

        The pitch is destroyed.

        Figo, Hefty Geoff, Mullet are all OK.

        Figo was at lunch and dived under a table when the first shock hit. The restaurant light fixture (huge, heavy, pointy) crashed into the chair he'd been sitting in. He is a bit cut and bruised but otherwise OK. Staying with friends just out of town. All are still in a bit of shock. He was able to get his computer and passport out of his apartment, but his show and props are still at large, not safe to go back into his building.

        That's all I know.

        Comment

        • nick nickolas
          Senior Member
          • Dec 2000
          • 528

          #5
          Good to hear your folks are ok Martin,
          yeh I hear tunnel is gone,,

          anyone heard from Jodi?

          she ok?

          Isabella,,,which pitch? ChCh has about 20 of 'em ....

          Nick

          Comment

          • martin ewen
            Senior Member
            • Dec 2000
            • 1887

            #6
            Well following the pictures cashel street a lot of the buildings have fallen. The cathedral square now has a dismantled cathedral in it and I'm still looking for pics of the arts center. It's old but reinforced. I did see one pic that looked like the side of the court theatre and the building next to it was down.

            It is just going to fuck with peoples heads. The earlier one did and this one will even worse. The aftershocks just make everyone post traumatic and people are scared of going into town.

            This one was under lyttelton which you might know is actually a really old volcano. Qual island is the plug in the middle of the harbour. I'm just researching now what the actual difference between an extinct and dormant volcano is and whether lots of earthquakes five miles under an extinct volcano could wake it up.

            Cos that would be a show topper.

            My brothers on his way down from Wellington. He works for peter Jackson and can build houses singlehandedly. (using both hands though) hobbit houses made of rubber? Man it's going to be a harsh winter for some but outcwrst, like hornby and a couple of places got off lightly.

            Comment

            • nick nickolas
              Senior Member
              • Dec 2000
              • 528

              #7
              I see on news, corner of arts center by Hagley Park fell,

              Ironic....Some people (engineers) were in Cathedral checking on crack damage from last quake when it hit,

              Russell aka Mr Quirk is okay was in Lyttleton with family,

              Comment

              • martin ewen
                Senior Member
                • Dec 2000
                • 1887

                #8
                I suggested to my bro who's the builder and works for peter Jackson and is on his way down to fix my parents place that he make them a hobbit house... Made of rubber so that further earthquakes would be disguised in the day to day jello of life.

                Comment

                • Kim
                  Senior Member
                  • Sep 2001
                  • 197

                  #9
                  Also Shay Horay and Sam Wills' family... all ok.

                  The 2nd hand vibe floating around is that this quake has broken people's spirit... knowing that they have to go through another 6 - 18 months of aftershocks, and now in a broken city.

                  The twitter & FB has been a valuable resource for millions of friends and family recently... Toppling dictators or seeing if anything has toppled onto your mates... The virtual world keeps you up to date on the failings and fallings of the real one.

                  Comment

                  • Mr Qwirk
                    Senior Member
                    • Jul 2002
                    • 148

                    #10
                    Louise is ok. Her, Bennie B and Emma were in the square doing shows.... luckily no one was performing when the quake hit. Ben & Emma flew out of town this morning i heard.
                    Frank (cloghooper) is over here in Lyttelton too, and is fine.

                    I'm not to keen on staying here...
                    Last edited by Mr Qwirk; Feb-22-2011, 09:37 PM.

                    Comment

                    • gav
                      Senior Member
                      • Apr 2003
                      • 916

                      #11
                      Glad to hear everyone we know is ok. This has been a weird start to the year. First I looked on as my family in Brisbane were threatened by floods, and now this.
                      Didn't the Mayans give us until 2012 .

                      Comment

                      • Kate Awesome
                        Member
                        • Oct 2008
                        • 83

                        #12
                        I thought you were in Oz, Qwirk!!
                        I am glad to hear you are safe. xo

                        Comment

                        • Jim
                          Administrator
                          • Dec 2000
                          • 1096

                          #13
                          Thanks for all the updates. It's good to hear that friends are OK.

                          The images are totally surreal. It's really heartbreaking to see all the destruction downtown.

                          Comment

                          • nick nickolas
                            Senior Member
                            • Dec 2000
                            • 528

                            #14
                            Jodi and husband OK, her office and house aren't,

                            Comment

                            • martin ewen
                              Senior Member
                              • Dec 2000
                              • 1887

                              #15
                              Hefty Geoff featured

                              Soldiering on took on a new meaning as the war-time theme adopted for this year's Ranfurly Art Deco Festival, held at the weekend, included special...

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