14-11-16
Less than a week ago NZ suffered one of its worst earthquakes ever. We were lucky. It hit at 12.02am in the morning, when most people were in bed, this meant all the major buildings (downtown shopping precincts, office buildings) that had problems were mostly empty. Death toll ended up being very small, under 10. But the devastation to infrastructure was massive, the costs are going to be in the billions to repair roads, fresh water lines, sewerage, buildings. A very large area is fractured. Scientists are saying that the whole of the top end of the South Island has risen 2 metres and moved several metres to the west. Since the main quake struck NZ has suffered another 2000+ aftershocks, most over magnitude 4, which has kept the country rocking. Scientists say there is an 80% chance that there will be another large quake within the next 30 days. Jeez I hope not.
To see whats been happening, have a look at this: (scroll your mouse to go down through the article.)
https://assets.stuff.co.nz/interactives ... index.html
Personally, I was awake, with my partner, up in our computer room, a 6m x 4m space with our desks and hobbies set up around us, big screen TV etc on the upper floor of a two level extension. The quake started small, we have many of those, NZ is not referred to as the 'Shaky Isles' for nothing, but the intensity built and built, until it felt like we were on a ship with the waves rocking the extension, the floor moving a good deal side to side making us feel sea sick, and sounds of the wood creaking as everything gave a heave side to side. We abandoned ship. Getting tossed side to side moving down the stairs and outside away from the house. The first time I have been scared in a quake. From outside the movement of the whole house was much more visible and we thought the concrete block extension was going to collapse, scary minutes. The time of the quake was only 2-3 minutes long, for us it was scary, for those at the epicentre it must have been terrifying.
With cries "The Navy's Here"
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/s/ek8e72x4n3p56gv/TheNavysHere.jpg?dl=1)
Five of the ships anchored in the harbour, seen from above the Wellington motorway. The flotilla included the New Zealand Navy frigate Te Kaha and tanker Endeavour, the US warship Sampson, Australia's HMAS Darwin and Canada's HMCS Vancouver.
The ships will pick up stores in Wellington and transport them to the area of devastation at Kaikoura where they will then turn around and evacuate people to safer places.
It is the NZ Navy's 75th Jubilee and we were lucky that the overseas ships were here to be able to help.
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/s/609calogpans2rg/MT-Taranaki-From-neighboursbackfence.jpg?dl=1)