New Zealand city of Christchurch hit by strong earthquake

[villager]

Source: Reuters

New Zealand city of Christchurch hit by strong earthquake

WELLINGTON Feb 22 (Reuters) - New Zealand's quake-ravaged Christchurch city was struck by a strong earthquake causing further damage after a strong quake hit the city last year, local media reported on Tuesday.

The quake was measured at magnitude 6.3 by local scientists with a focal depth of 5 kilometres, 10 kilometres southwest of the country's second biggest city.

Local media reported filing cabinets and computers being thrown from desks, damage to buildings, and a city bridge made impassable.

The city was struck by a force 7.1 quake last September which caused widespread serious damage but only minor injuries.

The region has been struck by thousands of aftershocks since the original quake.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/22/newzealand-quake-idUSWLF00502320110222

[MineralMan]

1. First floods; now earthquakes. They're hard hit this summer.

I hope there weren't any casualties from this quake.

[Violet_Crumble]

20. Australia got the floods. They're different countries...

The death toll's 65 and it's going to rise. The quake hit at around 1pm NZ time, so there would have been a lot of people in office buildings which have collapsed....

http://www.theage.com.au/world/we-may-be-witnessing-new-zealands-darkest-day-pm-says-65-killed-in-quake-20110222-1b356.html

[MineralMan]

44. Christchurch had flooding as well.

http://m.weatherwatch.co.nz/image-galleries/storm/christchurch-floodig

[Violet_Crumble]

52. That was last autumn, not this summer...

And you said 'this summer'. The flooding this summer was here in Australia. We're just across the Tasman from New Zealand. Anyway, I'd never even heard of this flood in Christchurch, so I went and googled and found out it was a bit of localised flooding from heavy rain, not at all like the catastrophic flooding that hit Queensland very recently...

[bikebloke]

2. My favourite city in NZ is really getting whacked.

[sofa king]

43. Mine, too. But now I know why the buildings are all so short.

It reminded me a little of DC, because few of the buildings are taller than the modest cathedral there.

Here's one reason why:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChristChurch_Cathedral_%28Christchurch,_New_Zealand%29

But the people of Canterbury are as tough as an old snarler.

[jberryhill]

3. New Zealand generally is quite seismically and geothermally active

...before the apocalyptic nutbars come along, be mindful that New Zealand has always been this way, and is on of the relatively newer landmasses on earth.

Much moreso than Old Zealand.

[SkyDaddy7]

5. LOL! Excellent Point! nt.

[Arugula Latte]

4. Sending best wishes to the people of New Zealand ...

[hedgehog]

6. Wow! I've heard of slow news days, but this is one of the fastest

I've ever seen!

Good thoughts for New Zealand - here's hoping they came through this OK!

[wickerwoman]

7. Police are reporting "multiple fatalies"

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10708004

Two buses hit by falling buildings.

Lots of phone lines knocked out too :-(

[hedgehog]

8. Damn! I have a very elderly great aunt in Christchurch and some

first cousins once removed.

This aunt grew up in Ireland, went through the Blitz in London and married a Kiwi. Talk about an eventful life!

[kentauros]

19. My girlfriend lives there, and I haven't heard from her yet.

Figures I would pick this week to get a new phone because my current one isn't working, so I can't txt or receive them. I don't even know if she can send any to begin with. Plus, she was moving out of Christchurch just this week, back to the north island.

I'll be watching my email all day tomorrow, and trying Skype with her family in Whakatane tomorrow night. I hope she's all right, because I've read/heard two different reports now on where the earthquake was centered. The first was on the southwest side, and the second on the southeast side, or her side of town (Linwood.) The tiny rental she lives in survived last winter's bigger quake, so I only hope she was home when this one hit...

Let us know how your aunt is doing, too. It's a horrible feeling to be out of touch in events like this :hug:

[wickerwoman]

48. They're asking on the news that people refrain from calling

to keep the phone lines open for emergency services.

Might be why you haven't heard anything.

The phone lines went down for quite a while and are probably still a little shaky with all the aftershocks.

[kentauros]

49. I expect it may be a long wait.

I saw that they said the phone lines were out, but I don't know how that affects their mobile services. They're communicating with trapped people by txting, so some form of mobile service must be up.

I'll see if her parents have heard anything when I get home from work. I'm sure they know more about what's allowed through than I do, seeing as how they live in NZ and I don't.

[wickerwoman]

54. Mobile service is up,

but they're asking people only to text, not call, to reduce the load and to avoid using their phones unless its strictly necessary.

I'm in Auckland and that's what they were saying on the local news last night.

Hope she's alright. :hug:

[kentauros]

55. Thanks :)

I tried a txt earlier, but don't know yet if it went through. When I get home I'll try it online through my phone service. I've done that before successfully, so we'll see...

[kentauros]

56. I learned a little while ago from her step-dad that she txted when the quake hit

and that was from her rental home, so she's all right! However, because one of her pets ran off during the quake (her cat) she's likely upset by that and isn't returning their calls or any of our txts. I hope to hear more from her tomorrow.

[anakie]

9. live TV coverage

http://www.abc.net.au/news/abcnews24/


hopefully it is not blocked for people outside of Australia. ABC Aust is streaming NZ television.

This one is looking bad

on edit - also live coverage on CNNI

on edit again - streaming on The Australian's (newspaper) main page here

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/


Peace

[Turborama]

10. CNN International Live Coverage

Here: http://streampinoy.info/cnn-news-channel-live-streaming.html

I have it on TV and hope this option works for others who don't get it.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

11. Very shallow. This is really bad. nt

[villager]

12. Shallow? The ground?

Does this refer to the liquefaction?

[laundry_queen]

17. It referes to

how deep in the earth's crust the earthquake occured. The more shallow an earthquake is, the stronger the shaking, as the waves have less distance to travel through the crust before reaching the surface.

[villager]

18. Ah yes, of course. You think, being a Californian, I'd know that right away.

Just came from a thread on the liquefaction aspects of the current quake, however, and it was on my mind.

Though the two may not be unrelated...

[Viva_La_Revolution]

51. They both contribute to the severity of the damage..

Because the earthquake happened so close to the surface, the shaking was greater.. the deeper it is, the more strength it loses by the time the waves reach the surface.
But the fact that that land was originally marsh and other loosely packed sedimentary deposits, those already strong waves were 'amplified' by what I think of as the Jello effect.

[anakie]

13. 17 confirmed dead

just reported on television. No link yet, but sure to be everywhere.


Peace

[theHandpuppet]

14. Link to global earthquake maps

http://www.iris.edu/seismon/

If you click on any of the red circles (indicating quakes within the past day) you can get details on the earthquakes.

[KeepItReal]

15. 65 confirmed deaths now

so sad

[anakie]

16. now 65 dead

as reported on tv


peace

[Violet_Crumble]

21. Australia to bolster help for NZ quake

Australia will bolster search and rescue efforts in Christchurch, which has been devastated by a major earthquake.

It will also set up a temporary crisis centre for Australians stranded in downtown Christchurch, which bore the brunt of the 6.3 magnitude earthquake.

<snip>

The government has sent a 73-strong search and rescue team from NSW to Christchurch, which will begin operations on the ground first thing Wednesday morning.

A second team, including medical staff, is expected to follow.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/australia-to-bolster-help-for-nz-quake-20110222-1b3ci.html

[maddezmom]

22. Washington Congressman in New Zealand at time of earthquake

SEATTLE -- A Washington lawmaker was in New Zealand with other U.S. congressional members at the time a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck.

According to his Facebook page, Washington Representative Rick Larsen, (D), traveled there as part of a bipartisan Congressional delegation to discuss trade, commerce and security between the U.S and New Zealand.

Rep. Larsen's mother confirmed Rick was in Wellington at the time of the earthquake, and is safe.

"Today I met with NZ Prime Minister John Key. There are many issues our two countries can cooperate on: nuclear non-proliferation, disaster response management, and promoting and protecting freedom, democracy and human rights worldwide. I’m thankful for the men and women of the New Zealand Defence Force and the United States Armed Services who stood side by side in Afghanistan and around the world," Rep. Larsen wrote on his Facebook page around 7:30 p.m. PST.

more:http://www.king5.com/news/local/Washington-Congressman-in-New-Zealand-at-time-of-earthquake-116636178.html

[KeepItReal]

23. Deadly Quake Rocks New Zealand, Topples Buildings

Source: Reuters/Yahoo! News

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A strong quake hit New Zealand's second-biggest city of Christchurch on Tuesday for the second time in five months, toppling buildings, causing "multiple fatalities," trapping people beneath rubble and sparking fires.

Local TV showed bodies being pulled out of rubble strewn around the city centre, though it was unclear whether any of them were alive, but police reported multiple fatalities after the 6.3 magnitude quake struck during the busy lunchtime.

"I was in the square right outside the cathedral - the whole front has fallen down and there were people running from there - there were people inside as well," said John Gurr, a camera technician who was in the centre of the city when the quake hit.

Prime Minister John Key, who called an emergency cabinet meeting for later in the day, told parliament: "This is a very populated time with people at work and children at school. 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."

Read more: http://au.news.yahoo.com/christchurch-earthquake/a/-/article/8883314/deadly-quake-rocks-new-zealand-topples-buildings/

---

UPDATE: So far there have been 4 aftershocks

Link to steaming video ("LIVE STREAM"):

http://au.news.yahoo.com/

[Lucinda]

24. :( Thank you for the thread.

Bookmarking to follow up when i return

[Poll_Blind]

25. That's terrible. A very geologically active region of the world in the last few years.

Major thanks, I mean major thanks, for being able to score a live stream link.

PB

[Luciferous]

26. Those poor people :(

[alfredo]

27. I caught a strong aftershock earlier.

[Poll_Blind]

28. At that streaming link they just showed about 6 people running for their lives from...

...a collapsing facade of a building and escaping with their lives (I shit you not) by about 3-5 feet. Other videos, an enormous boulder (maybe the size of a 2 story building?) rolling down a hill and crushing a building below it. I feel so bad for these people, especially since they're living on a relatively teeny little island.

They're starting to read on TV the names and locations of groups of people who are trapped under the rubble of buildings and who have Tweeted for help.

PB

[emilyg]

29. Terrible.

[Poll_Blind]

30. Now they're showing video just in from a helicopter. "Vast areas of liquefaction."

In other words, large sections of ground have acted like liquid because of the forces involved. I'd heard of things like this in the case of simple landslides in Oregon but they were showing pretty amazing scenes of buckled roads but I've seen some shots where buildings are bunched as though they'd slid together, as if they were sliding on mud or something.

Some of these buildings I'm seeing are pancaked or partly pancaked like the Nimitz Freeway.

PB

[KeepItReal]

31. That area of NZ is built on sandy soil

Here's an article on it:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/science/news/article.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10671607

[Poll_Blind]

32. Thank you for that- that helped me understand it so much more.

I didn't understand that "wet sand" effect very well.

PB

[jannyk]

33. BBC Reporting Multiple Fatalities/Buses Crushed/Many Trapped

Extensive coverage at link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12533291

Multiple fatalities have been reported after a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island, police say. The tremor, which hit at 1251 (2351 GMT on Monday) only 10km (6.2 miles) south-east of the city at a depth of 5km (3.1 miles), caused widespread destruction. The fire service said numerous people were trapped in buildings, and a state of emergency has been declared.

The damage is said to be far worse than after September's 7.1-magnitude quake.

Local police said there were reports of multiple fatalities, including that two buses had been crushed by falling buildings. There were also reports of fires and of numerous people being trapped in collapsed buildings, they added. Witnesses said up to 150 people were feared trapped inside the Pyne Gould Guinness building alone. Local television showed bodies being pulled out of rubble strewn around the city centre. It was not known if they were alive.

Christchurch Cathedral, an iconic stone building in the centre of the city, was partly destroyed, its spire toppling into the square below

[theHandpuppet]

34. We are thinking of our NZ brothers and sisters tonight

I only wish there was some way to help out.

[Poll_Blind]

35. 17 dead confirmed per video link. n/t

PB

[KeepItReal]

36. Right now 17 initial confirmed fatalities

per the news feed out of Christchurch, NZ

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/live-updates-christchurch-quake-4038261

[micraphone]

37. Civil Defence: 17 dead

Mayor Bob Parker warns to expect more.

One 4 storey building collapsed into one storey. Amazingly only one dead in this but 30 (out of 200 odd) still trapped. Many still trapped in the city. Aftershocks more than hourly.

[micraphone]

38. PM confirms 65 dead

Many people still trapped with more deaths expected. PM John Key in Christchurch.

[Poll_Blind]

39. Prime Minister revises death toll to 65.

Many large buildings partially/fully collapsed. Been watching the video at the link, it's like something out of a cross between a mini 9/11 and some sort of Stephen King "The Mist"-style supernatural apocalypse. After watching this coverage and thanks to a poster upthread, there is an "ooze" coming up through the ground in many places, a mixture of sewage, water, just getting over everything.

PB

[KeepItReal]

40. News is talking to a lady trapped in rubble

She's bleeding and trapped under a desk. The floor(s) above have collapsed.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/national/watch/23188303/23188288/

[Poll_Blind]

41. I was listening to that as well. Very concerned for her and the others who might be...

...in worse shape who she could hear calling out, also trapped in the rubble.

PB

[micraphone]

42. Yes the Pyne Gould Guinness building

4 floors collapsed down in to one.

Still 30 odd trapped there and many, many more in the CBD in other partially, or fully, collapsed buildings. Damage seems to concentrated in CBD.

[PatrickS]

45. Incredible footage

The footage is pretty scary. I feel for the folks of NZ. So sad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfcWraeZvcw

(the youtube comments are, as usual, full of hate...)

[1776Forever]

46. Quake slams Christchurch FEBRUARY 22, 2011, 12:13 P.M. ET

Source: WSJ

By LUCY CRAYMER And REBECCA HOWARD

CHRISTCHURCH—New Zealand's second-largest city, Christchurch, was rocked Tuesday by an earthquake that destroyed part of its cathedral and killed at least 65 people, with officials warning the death toll could double as rescuers pick through collapsed offices and buildings.

"We may well be witnessing New Zealand's darkest day," said Prime Minister John Key from Christchurch in the wake of the disaster, which has left much of the city without electricity and closed its international airport. "What was a vibrant city a few hours ago has been brought to its knees."



Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704071304576160250898180340.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[dixiegrrrrl]

47. For clarity, that was yesterday in New Zealand, not today in USA.

NZ is one day ahead of us.
And it is now, as I write, 6:45 am there. (Auckland)

http://www.worldtimeserver.com/weather_in_NZ.aspx?forecastid=NZXX0003

[kentauros]

50. NZ Herald headline: Christchurch quake: Fears 300 dead

Christchurch quake: Fears 300 dead

Updated 7:14 AM Wednesday Feb 23, 2011

The official death toll from yesterday's earthquake in Christchurch has been revised to 38, but there are fears it could reach as high as 300.

Speaking to reporters at the Civil Defence bunker in Wellington this morning, the agency's director, John Hamilton said the number of confirmed dead in the earthquake was 32 not 65 as Prime Minister John Key said last night.

But Mr Hamilton said fatalities were only officially confirmed once bodies had been identified and their next of kin informed. He would not provide an unofficial death toll.

Mr Key this morning said the official death toll had now risen to 38.

It's hard to read that article, even though I've never been to Christchurch, just Auckland and Whakatane. But as my gf lives in Christchurch, I remember her saying how she went to Christmas Mass at the cathedral downtown. One news report I read stated that there were tourists in the church tower when it collapsed and they don't think anyone survived that...

[Violet_Crumble]

53. Desperate rescue efforts continue, 38 officially dead

Desperate efforts are continuing this morning to free an estimated 100 people trapped in collapsed buildings following yesterday's horror 6.3 magnitude earthquake.

Civil Defence Director John Hamilton said this morning that numerous survivors have been pulled from a number of wrecked buildings in the central business district overnight.

He said the focus at this stage is the still the rescue of those trapped, rather than the recovery of the dead.

Rescue workers said some survivors have been pulled out with barely a scratch while others have had to have limbs amputated to get them out.

Police said this morning that 22 people had been rescued from the PGG Building on Cambridge Terrace, while a further 22 are believed to still be trapped inside.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/desperate-rescue-efforts-continue-38-officially-dead-4038747