Devastation in Christchurch

65 comments on “Devastation in Christchurch ”

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1. kriswgtn 1

   23 February 2011 at 8:30 am

   My sister called me this morning on cell- before it cut out.She spent most of the night making sure the elderly next door were ok, she had her kids helping as well,
   great when the community comes together like this
   My best wishes go out to the people of canterbury

   am bit angry with her that she didnt go out to my old mans place.Her call
   • Arbovit 1.1

     23 February 2011 at 9:37 am

     “am bit angry with her that she didnt go out to my old mans place.Her call”

     Understand the anger kris. The authorities have made it clear that people are NOT to head out on the roads. If everyone did that then the emergency services wouldn’t be able to get through. I know it’s tough and really worrying not knowing about your old man but we just have to hope that his neighbours are giving him the same care that your sister is giving her neighbours. Try and make contact with his neighbours and if they can’t reach him, call the red cross number.
2. Marty G 2

   23 February 2011 at 8:35 am

   at least no callous bastards are talking this up as an economic boon this time.
   • Colonial Viper 2.1

     23 February 2011 at 8:49 am

     Central authorities are going to have to prove their dedication to the people of the city over an extended period of time.

     There is much which needs done and much which could go wrong. Christchurch has been a light of business activity, jobs and population growth in the South Island. Now that is all in question and much is at risk.

     Many South Island logistics centres (eg. for the supermarkets) have centralised to Christchurch. Now that may have been economically efficient – but from the standpoint of providing resilience and redundancy, just hopeless.

     This is a task which would test even the best of Governments.
     • Oscar 2.1.1

       23 February 2011 at 10:04 am

       We’re also going to have to look at moving the city too possibly. One of the reports I read was that the entire CBD area has been affected by liquefaction?
       If this is the case (and it’s all built on alluvial deposits and peat bog) then there may be nothing but to rebuild elsewhere, and have a true planned city.

       I was thinking, isn’t the Pegasus development largely untouched by these quakes? And aren’t there several empty houses around there? Perhaps CD could move some people there that don’t want to leave Christchurch for whatever reason.
       • swordfish 2.1.1.1

         23 February 2011 at 4:00 pm

         Yeah, I heard something similar yesterday on RNZ. Either a geologist or seismologist was telling Mary Wilson that he felt the whole geology of the CBD had been undermined and the chances of rebuilding there looked fairly slim.

         Is it too fanciful to suggest Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Woodend as possible new Chch city centres ?

         Or possibly a move South or to the West ?

         As Draco, CV and M suggested yesterday: there’s a real possibility of significant de-population, possibly along New Orleans lines. Widespread personal trauma, so many businesses knocked out, another 6 months of aftershocks, the long task of re-building. Most Chch residents interviewed on RNZ yesterday were suggesting they couldn’t wait to get out. Whether that was just initial shock or genuine determination, who knows ?

         Are we going to see the populations of Timaru, Dunedin, Blenheim, Nelson suddenly swell with Chch earthquake refugees ? Possibly even to some extent Wellington and Auckland ?
   • Jack T 2.2

     23 February 2011 at 1:25 pm

     Doesn’t your comment make you a callous bastard, as you are turing attention to an ‘economic boon’?

     Just saying.
     • Marty G 2.2.1

       23 February 2011 at 1:43 pm

       No. it doesn’t.
       Also, I spoke too soon. The broken windows fallacy is rearing its ugly head in the media
       • Colonial Viper 2.2.1.1

         23 February 2011 at 4:10 pm

         And I wonder which side of the political spectrum is bringing that fallacy up. I actually hope that they keep doing it, the morons.

         The destruction of Christchurch will undoubtedly “turbocharge” the “aggressive recovery” we have all been experiencing. No?
   • Vicky32 2.3

     23 February 2011 at 7:56 pm

     I did hear some plonker on Radio NZ today saying that re-building will help the economy! So, one person
3. pollywog 3

   23 February 2011 at 8:39 am

   My ex’s house is unliveable. She gashed her arm, smashing a window trying to open the door as the quake was happening and rolled out onto the street to see twisted cartoon houses looking like something out of a Tim Burton movie and shell shocked people milling around dazed and confused.

   She lives round the corner from the Pyne Gould building and behind the collapsed church on Kilmore and Manchester st.

   She doesn’t even know if she can get back to her house, if she’s still got a job, has to pay rent or will get her bond back so she can salvage stuff from her house and move to Auckland, permanently. She worked in a cafe in town and was due to report to the CTV building at 3pm to start another job.

   I’ve just managed to talk to my sister. She had a heap of mates roll round and crash at her place in Beckenham. She’s all good. She was saying my brother who lives in Brighton hasn’t been allowed back to check his place or feed his dogs, and apparently my oldest brother, who lived in St Albans, is fine too but i haven’t heard from him.

   Thank God they’re all safe but now I just want them all to pack their shit up and move here to Nelson.
   • pollywog 3.1

     23 February 2011 at 10:13 am

     the collapsed church on Kilmore and Manchester st.

     oops…of course i meant Madras instead of Manchester.
     • rosy 3.1.1

       23 February 2011 at 9:28 pm

       I just spoke with my son in Chch for the first time since the quake. Although I knew he was ok the relief in talking with him was immense. He’s been evacuated from the central city to Papanui but is looking for a flight out. His job is gone – hospitality industry – his girfriend’s studies are now on hold and their house is unliveable but at the moment they’re just happy to be ok, and extremely upset about those who are not. Our hearts go out to those who are not so fortunate.
4. Lanthanide 4

   23 February 2011 at 8:42 am

   I think power is actually on in ‘most’ of the city. The 80% figure that has been bandied about is water coverage. I saw a headline on TV earlier saying “power restored to CDB”.
5. happynz 5

   23 February 2011 at 8:43 am

   I live in St Albans, an inner city suburb just north of the CBD for those of you not familiar with Christchurch. Obviously power is on here, but still no water. A pumping station is spilling thousands of litres of water per minute out on to Trafalgar Street. Edgeware Road is stuffed with craters up and down the length of the road.
   • Lanthanide 5.1

     23 February 2011 at 9:05 am

     I live on the banks of a tributary to the heathcote. Yesterday about 2:30 the river was up about 50% and brown (usually it’s completely clear) and next time I looked at it about 3:10 it was 100% up on normal and milky white from all the silt in it, and was like that last night when I last looked.

     This morning it’s down to maybe 40% up and brown again. About 4 areas of water mains broken on a street near here with water pouring onto the street.
6. Carol 6

   23 February 2011 at 8:43 am

   Such a bad turn of events for Christchurch. my condolences to friends and loved-ones of the dead and severely injured. However,t he community self-help spirit is uplifting.

   Yesterday I thought the broadcast media, especially RNZ which I listened to the most, had raised their game in their coverage. I thought they’d learned from the criticisms of their coverage from the 4 Sept quake. They got pretty quickly into providing the info ChCh people needed, as soon as RNZ were informed of it: eg. which areas of the city were most damaged, which roads were open and which ones closed, info about emergencey services & collection points etc.

   Mora went straight into dealing with the coverage on his afternoon show, then Mary Wilson took over (about an hour later, think). She must have done a 4-5hour stint on her own.
7. Zaphod Beeblebrox 7

   23 February 2011 at 8:50 am

   Whats happening in the eastern suburbs? All the pictures naturally are of the destroyed CBD buildings but you’d have to imagine there must be a lot of mud and silt inundating those poor people living close to the river out east. Does anybody know?
   • Carol 7.1

     23 February 2011 at 8:58 am

     I’m surprised we’re not hearing more about Lyttleton, but I gather it’s hard for anyone but some emergency services to get to.
     • Lanthanide 7.1.1

       23 February 2011 at 9:08 am

       Yeah, I’m surprised by the complete lack of info too. There’s been an aerial shot of the Timeball station being munted (suffered a little damage on September), but other than that, only cell phone descriptions. I would’ve figured if there was a helicoptor flying over, they would’ve had shots of the settlement itself that they’d also show.
     • Colonial Viper 7.1.2

       23 February 2011 at 9:19 am

       I read a report saying that damage was bad out in Lyttleton (buildings and roads) but that casualties were not too severe given its location. In Christchurch, I think that the failure of large buildings (falling facades and full on structural failure) will end up accounting for large numbers of the fatalities.

       Our architects and construction professionals will have much to analyse in the coming months.
     • Colonial Viper 7.1.3

       23 February 2011 at 9:23 am

       About Lyttleton:

       Mark Buckley told Radio New Zealand two people died on walking tracks hit by rockfalls when the 6.3 quake struck on Tuesday but there have been no deaths since.

       He says injuries have been minor and the fire service is now helping evacuate elderly people from their homes.

       But about 60% of the buildings in the main street and most of those still standing are damaged.

       Lyttelton was near the epicentre of the quake, 10 kilometres south-east of Christchurch city.

       Mr Buckley says the only way in and out of Lyttelton is Dyers Pass Road, through Governors Bay.

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/canterbury-earthquake/69253/lyttelton-%27like-a-battlefield%27
   • Marty G 7.2

     23 February 2011 at 9:28 am

     a lot of liquefaction by the sounds of it meaning houses coming off their piles, roofs coming off etc. there are some aerial shots on herald and stuff. it seems that people mostly get cuts and non-life-threatening injuries in what are mostly wooden homes. it’s collapsing concrete and brick structures in the cbd that have killed
     • Inventory2 7.2.1

       23 February 2011 at 10:03 am

       Until the Sumner Road reopened this morning, Lyttleton has been preety much cut off. By my calculations, the quake yesterday was sited pretty much underneath the Lyttleton tunnel. I’ve heard radio reports that there has been widespread damage out there.

       I’ve got a staff member down there whose house was damaged on Sept 4th, damaged some more on Boxing Day, and was ruined yesterday. They can’t get out; their street is knee deep in mud, and they don’t have a 4WD. Another staffer’s son’s house has been totalled. Mecifully though, all are safe and well, as is my daughter who attends UC. There’s a feeling of helplessness being so close and yet so far away.

       Thoughts and parayers are with everyone touched by this catastrophe; arohanui Christchurch.
   • fatty 7.3

     23 February 2011 at 2:43 pm

     You are right Zaphod, the east of the city is not good and hasn’t been mentioned much, I drove yesterday from the corner of Colombo St/ Edgeware Rd to 415 New Brighton Rd, had to go around QE2 to get there, roads are almost un-drivable, cars face-first in the road with only their rear sticking in the air and silt and water everywhere. Massive potholes that can only be avoided by following the car in front, took 1 hour to drive a 10 min distance and that was quick by other reports. Some of the roads have split and cars have been left.
     That was yesterday at about 5pm, not sure how it is now, I’d guess the silt and water has receded. I now have no need to leave the house in a vehicle, will be on my bike from now on.
     That part of the city had never been sorted since Sept, some had only just got sewage pipes back, and many roads were still being diverted with cones last week.
     I didn’t even entertain the idea of driving down New Brighton Rd
8. Olwyn 8

   23 February 2011 at 9:02 am

   A simple text from a good friend this morning “it’s hell” – my condolences to those who have lost people; my prayers and best wishes for those who are waking up today to face the damage, and those who have not yet slept.
9. Lanthanide 9

   23 February 2011 at 9:11 am

   Btw, the aftershocks from this have been much worse compared to September. A lot of them are too small to show up on the geonet site, but we’ve had times where there have been about 5 aftershocks in the space of 10 minutes, and for a few hours yesterday it felt pretty constant. Mix the smaller ones up with a few in the 4-5 range and it starts to get very fatigueing very quickly. It was relatively quiet over night, but I woke up about 3 from a large shock and couldn’t get back to sleep after that.

   Looks like my work is shut for the rest of the week (and our next software release that we’ve been working on for 8 months was to be released on Friday), so boyfriend and I are going to head down to his mother’s in Oamaru; at least then we can have a shower. The house where I am is once again apparently completely unscathed – not any even cosmetic damage apparent.

   captcha: intervals
10. the sprout 10

    23 February 2011 at 9:39 am

    Does anyone know where people can collect water from in the Richmond area?
    • Pascal's bookie 10.1

      23 February 2011 at 9:44 am

      The google map on this page

      http://www.eq.org.nz/

      On side bar, click on ‘services’, that brings up a menu with water/food on it…
      • the sprout 10.1.1

        23 February 2011 at 10:09 am

        thanks Pb, but the site is fcked – just keeps loading but not completing.

        for those in the central CHCH area who want to know there are water collection sites at Hagley Park North and Burnside High
        • Pascal's bookie 10.1.1.1

          23 February 2011 at 10:18 am

          Shit, was working a while ago. There was a collection point for food, water, supplies, on Shirley road, opposite the end of chancellor street.

          You good?

          EDIT, seems to be working again
          • the sprout 10.1.1.1.1

            23 February 2011 at 11:08 am

            great, thanks Pb – not me, my family, they are all ok thankfully
            cheers
            • Pascal's bookie 10.1.1.1.1.1

              23 February 2011 at 11:24 am

              Good to hear.
    • Lanthanide 10.2

      23 February 2011 at 9:56 am

      I collected about 1.5 litres of rainwater last night with just a few pots, trays and bowls. Keep this in mind next time it rains. Also keep your collection vessels off the ground – the 2 I had on the ground got quite a bit of dirt and muck in them (wind?) all the others which were on the bonnet and roof of the car had very minimal amounts of leaves etc.
      • felix 10.2.1

        23 February 2011 at 10:18 am

        Also you might be able to remove or modify your downpipes and collect roofwater.
        • Arbovit 10.2.1.1

          23 February 2011 at 10:58 am

          That’s good practical advice feliz.
        • Colonial Viper 10.2.1.2

          23 February 2011 at 11:05 am

          I said to my parents over the holidays that they should install a so-called grey water system.
        • greenwelly 10.2.1.3

          23 February 2011 at 12:09 pm

          Just a word to those considering collecting roofwater,

          You should probably treat it as non drinkable without first boiling it,

          Most modern rural roof water capture systems dump the first 50-100 litres of water from each rainfall, as the first flow will pick up the dust and bird poop or what ever else has landed on the roof since the last rainfall. Older systems got round this by having a large tank and drawing from midway up.
      • ianmac 10.2.2

        23 February 2011 at 10:54 am

        Congratulations Lanthanide. We had provision on our boat years ago for a sail to be spread to catch rainwater if required. Maybe a sheet would work and catch more. How about shifting the spouting downpipe out from the wall and catching the next shower? Roof rainwater keeps many country folk going.
11. Marty G 11

    23 February 2011 at 10:07 am

    they called the darfield quake a direct hit on christchurch in geological terms. This one was a third of the distance from the cbd. incredibly bad luck.

    But luck it is. I’m really pissed off at the herald editorial for speculating “is something even bigger building up under Canterbury?”

    No. energy is not ‘building up’. Potential energy that takes hundreds of years to build is being released. it is unusual that an aftershock creates more damage but it’s down to where its epicentre was.

    however, we’ve seen two clusters of mega-quakes in New Zealand since records began – 1848 to 1868 and 1929 to 1942. It seems that big quakes on one fault can help trigger another in a different part of the country. Now, we’ve had 3 big Fiordland quakes, two in Canterbury, and the Gisborne quake in the past eight years – looks like another cluster.
    • Zorr 11.1

      23 February 2011 at 10:53 am

      One of the geological experts they interviewed yesterday afternoon said it was likely that yesterdays quake was from a different fault system due to the size and location.
      • Lanthanide 11.1.1

        23 February 2011 at 12:17 pm

        Yeah, it’s called a ‘triggered quake’, rather than an aftershock. The previous quake built up additional stress on this new fault, which caused it to go off also.
        • lprent 11.1.1.1

          23 February 2011 at 12:55 pm

          …it’s called a ‘triggered quake’, rather than an aftershock.

          It is also defined as being an aftershock because virtually all aftershocks are triggered quakes as well. They usually don’t come from the same fault system as the original quake because that usually gets rid of most of its accumulated stress in the original quake. If you have a look at the after shock locations since September 4, they have been all over the place around christchurch.
      • lprent 11.1.2

        23 February 2011 at 12:42 pm

        A shaking from one fault ‘system’ isn’t particularly isolated. It will frequently change the tension in other faults that receive some of the energy. That is why we get smaller aftershocks. This one was another aftershock. However its location (and the time that it hit) was what made it more lethal
12. freedom 12

    23 February 2011 at 10:36 am

    If you are on Vodafone, text QUAKE to 333 to donate $3, or text it to 555 to donate $5
13. ianmac 13

    23 February 2011 at 10:45 am

    Been thinking about those who have had amputations in order to be rescued. I have a dim recollection that when a limb is severely crushed it can only be rescued only if in a small window of opportunity. Otherwise after an hour (?) a release of a crushed limb causes a fatal body reaction. Hence better to amputate to save the life. (Hope I got that right. Not a doctor.)
    • Zorr 13.1

      23 February 2011 at 10:57 am

      Yeah ianmac. Strangely enough learned this from the end of House last season… x_x

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crush_syndrome

      Don’t need to amputate but need to be veeeeery careful.
      • Colonial Viper 13.1.1

        23 February 2011 at 11:08 am

        Crushed/highly injured muscle tissue releases a lot of bad shit into the blood stream. A small amount of it the body can deal with, lots not.

        Some antibiotics and other drugs can also cause similar tissue destruction. Very difficult for the medical professionals to counter.
14. ianmac 14

    23 February 2011 at 10:50 am

    Family members’ house in Papanui has been in limbo since September. Rebuild or replace? Theirs is a triple bricked two storied older beautiful house but because it was severely damaged back then, conflicting advice made it very hard to decide on what action to take. Yesterday the decision was made for them. House destroyed, but they are all safe.
15. Arbovit 15

    23 February 2011 at 11:04 am

    RNZ is reporting 220 “major trauma” patients have been treated at chch hospital so far. Tremendous to think how well emergency services are coping, especially since chch hospital was closed for a bit after the earthquake to assess damage.
16. Zorr 16

    23 February 2011 at 11:08 am

    From Stuff:

    10.50am: A temporary mortuary to deal with Christchurch earthquake victims has been moved to the Burnham Military Camp “for capacity reasons”.

    It is going to get much darker…
    • Arbovit 16.1

      23 February 2011 at 11:15 am

      We don’t know what that really means yet though zorr. We can speculate on multiple possible reasons. We don’t know what the current mortuary’s capacity might be–it might be 40. Plus it makes sense to transfer it out of the CBD if that’s where it is now to Burnham, so that family can come in and out and not hamper rescue efforts.

      Those are best case scenarios. On the brighter side if people are trapped but not seriously injured, and have acess to air then they can go 48 hours without water.
      • Zorr 16.1.1

        23 February 2011 at 11:27 am

        Arbovit… if the toll doesn’t rise above 200 I will be surprised. This is going to be NZs single biggest natural disaster in terms of lives lost and property destroyed imo.

        Feel free to keep being optimistic. I would prefer to be realistic.
      • Colonial Viper 16.1.2

        23 February 2011 at 11:54 am

        We should count ourselves very lucky if the death toll stops between 100 and 200.
17. todd 17

    23 February 2011 at 11:41 am

    Donations.

    It appears that donations to the Red Cross have overwhelmed their server. Please try here instead:

    Salvation Army: https://secure20.salvationarmy.org/donation.jsp

    0800 530000 or go to http://www.salvationarmy.org.nz/

    The Christchurch SPCA has opened a Pet Emergency Earthquake Fund.

    http://www.spcacanterbury.org.nz/

    The ANZ, ASB and Westpac banks have donated $1 million each so far. Please verify all donations are going to the right place.
18. randal 18

    23 February 2011 at 11:42 am

    key will have to raise taxes to pay for this.
    • graham 18.1

      23 February 2011 at 12:47 pm

      fuckwit
      • The Voice of Reason 18.1.1

        23 February 2011 at 12:59 pm

        Yes, I think we all agree that Key is a fuckwit, Graham. Unless, of course, you were being self referential?

        Randal’s point is valid. Raising a tax is exactly the response the Aussie Goverment has gone for to fund the flood recovery and it is likely to be under consideration here (for everyone but the rich, ‘natch).
        • lprent 18.1.1.1

          23 February 2011 at 1:01 pm

          Unless, of course, you were being self referential?

          That would require a level of introspection that graham seems to lack.
19. Oscar 19

    23 February 2011 at 3:30 pm

    Looks like no option but to pull down the Grand Chancellor, unless it falls down before hand.

    Too bad there’s no way we can get in there and knock it down now, which would be the safest thing. Wouldn’t the force of the collapse have implications on already weakened structures around it?
20. ghostwhowalksnz 20

    23 February 2011 at 3:35 pm

    The Aussies had a special tax for their floods because
    1) The howard government had cancelled their reinsurance to save $60 mill a year
    2) They DONT have a government controlled disaster fund for those who are insured like EQC ( which also pays out on river floods here)
21. bobo 21

    23 February 2011 at 5:03 pm

    My heart goes out to the people of Christchurch still trapped in the rubble and the many maimed & injured, after watching most of the coverage on tv3 news I was slightly bemused when a lady who phoned in called Anne Vos trapped in rubble sounding remarkably composed was encouraged to chat to the tv3 host for 10 mins or more wasting her valuable battery time, shouldn’t she have been directed to search and rescue people who might have been able to pinpoint her phone location. Just hope shes still alive but doesn’t the news media think of anything other than ratings?

    the story is here
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10708247&ref=twitter
    • Colonial Viper 21.1

      23 February 2011 at 5:27 pm

      a lady who phoned in called Anne Vos trapped in rubble sounding remarkably composed was encouraged to chat to the tv3 host for 10 mins or more wasting her valuable battery time

      Seriously I hope this didn’t actually happen.
22. todd 22

    23 February 2011 at 5:40 pm

    Updated Donations list:

    People can make a donation to the Canterbury Earthquake Appeal either at an ANZ Branch (account number 01-1839-0188939-00) or at the National bank (account number 06-0869-0548507-00).

    Donations can be made to the Red Cross online (http://www.redcross.org.nz/donate) or via the GrabOne website (http://www.grabone.co.nz/christchurch), as the Red Cross site has been crashing.

    Aucklanders who are able to offer accomodation to displaced Cantabrians should register by calling 0800 AUCKLAND.
    Donations can be made to the Westpac Canterbury Care Fund, which is in partnership with the Salvation Army, either at branches nationwide or to the account number 03-0207-0617331-00.

    People can donate to the Salvation Army Earthquake appeal online here (http://salvationarmy.org.nz/) or by calling 0800 53 00 00.

    Donations can be made to the Rotary New Zealand World Community Service here (http://www.rnzwcs.org/).

    Donations can be made to the Christchurch Earthquake Support Fund in ASB branches or online (account number 12-3205-0146808-00). Across the Tasman, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, is also accepting donations for the New Zealand Red Cross.

    NZ Blood Services say have sufficient blood stocks but if you are not already a donor and would like to sign up to be contacted when they do need blood donations, call 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325) or email here (mailto:donors.national@nzblood.co.nz) to register.

    The Christchurch SPCA has opened a Pet Emergency Earthquake Fund. You can donate money here (http://www.spcacanterbury.org.nz/) or to the Westpac account 030802 0586429 00.

    Vodafone users can donate to the Red Alert Canterbury Earthquake Appeal by texting “Quake” to 333 to make a $3 donation to the Red Cross Canterbury Earthquake Appeal.

    Thanks to Chris for the list
23. Mac1Adrian 23

    28 February 2011 at 7:50 am

    Some of us are refugees but will return soon to base though away till situation clearer. There is an opportunity for us to recreate with very careful thinking. GOD REST THE DEAD AND HRLP THE SURVIVORS’

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