Aftershock count....

....is one thousand sixty. In fact, we just had a 3.8, 4.1 and 4.0 in a span of 15 minutes. Ah for f%$#'s sake. ENOUGH!!!!!!!


You can read an interesting article about our fair city's plight here and here (click on Earthquake Analysis by John Holdaway) who highlights these interesting bits and pieces:

• The longest period without a quake was 12 hours and 24 minutes on Tuesday evening (Sept 21st).
• Cantabrians have been shaken every 29 minutes and 10 seconds, on average, since the September 4 quake.
• Since the initial 7.1 quake over two weeks ago, we have never gone more than 80 hours without an aftershock of magnitude 4.3 or above. So it can still be predicted with a reasonable degree of confidence that we should continue to get at least one large (magnitude 4.3+) aftershock every 2-3 days for the next 1-2 weeks. It’s not unlikely that one or two of those large aftershocks may be of magnitude 5.0-5.5. Magnitude 6+ quakes are much less likely to occur, and are becoming progressively less likely as time goes on.
• It appears that there is a discrepancy in the amount of energy released since the main Canterbury quake in comparison to other recent quakes of similar magnitude around the world (ie. Haiti, Baja), which suggests the possibility that several strong aftershocks may still be yet to come.

Why do I read this stuff?

Oy!

Christchurch Earthquake - New faultline formed - aerial flyover

Aftershocks and more aftershocks and

..... very frazzled nerves.

We are really and truly done with these rumbles and jumbles. There have been 270 aftershocks so far. Most have been between magnitude 3 and 4.9 with a few over 5.0. I feel as though I have just gotten off a long boat ride on the ocean but I feel that way 24 hours a day. Everything seems to be moving or shaking and I am beginning to wonder if I will ever remember the feeling of solid ground under my feet. To give you an idea of just how many frequent and strong shakes we have had, click here.

I was at work when a 5.1 magnitude aftershock hit at 7:49 am. This aftershock was very shallow and quite close to the city which made it feel a lot stronger. I was on the fifth floor of the hospital and ran for the doorframe while other staff hunkered under the desks. It didn't last long but it was a big enough jolt to cut power for a few seconds and to startle all of the mothers (and a few babies) on the floor. Breakfast was about to be served with no way to get the trays up from the ground floor since the elevators (lifts) were knocked out during the aftershock. So a posse of staff lugged the trays up the stairs and we delivered the new mothers their morning meal. Everyone was in a daze after this. Some staff were on the verge of tears and others were in tears. One co-worker headed home to be with her family- it was just too much for her to bear. I called Mike and heard the kids playing in the background, completely unphased by the last shock. These kids really are resilient and this made me feel a bit better about being away for the day.

Christchurch has never been seen as a big risk for a large earthquake. There is the Alpine Fault which runs along the spine of the South Island and is quite active. There are also the Porters Pass fault and the Hope fault which are a good distance from Christchurch. However, get this:
"The fault that ruptured the surface of Canterbury paddocks and produced the magnitude 7.1 earthquake has been quiet for at least 16,000 years. Underground, it split alluvial terraces deposited about 16,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. "

Are you effing kidding me? How unlucky are we to have been part of an event that hasn't happened for 16,000 years?!

Now before the Wellingtonians and other North Island folks get all uppity about how they escaped a big earthquake, it might be worth taking note of this:
"In 1929 there occurred, in west Canterbury, a magnitude 7 earthquake which turned out to be the first of a series of seven major, magnitude greater than 7, earthquakes over the next 13 years. The series included the second and third largest earthquakes in European times.... It is improbable that this occurrence of such large earthquakes in rapid succession was coincidental. There is no reason to think that such a series could not happen again."

Meanwhile, I sit here and just felt another jolt....and another....and another. Heart is a racing but I am hoping I can get some sleep tonight.

Quaking in our boots....

As most of you know, we experienced a big earthquake (7.1) here in Christchurch on Saturday morning at 4:35 am. Mike and I were fast asleep when we both were jolted from bed by rumbling and violent shaking. Off flew Mike to Mr W's room where he could barely stand up and where he found W's crib floating around the room with W inside and him asking "what's happening?". Meanwhile, I had raced to Miss M's room where she was fast asleep. I lifted her out of bed and went to the doorframe in her room and she woke up a few seconds later and asked "what is going on? Why are we sitting here?" I let out an uncontrollable "yelp" as panic coursed through my veins. I could hear things crashing in the kitchen and figured there would be dishes and glasses all over the floor. The shaking subsided and Mike came running out into the hallway with W and said "Get out of the house and into the car NOW!!!!". Off we went to the car, the kids with half glazed over looks on their faces and two parents high on adrenaline. I moved the car away from the house and thought about the aftershocks to come. Meanwhile, Mike went in the house to grab water, blankets, a flashlight, our cell phones, coats and hats (and a few "stuffies" for the kids). He shut off the gas to our fireplace and surveyed the house which seemed to be intact. Our good friend across the street came over to check on us but quickly returned to his own freaked out family.

Aftershocks started to rumble through and the car shook. We turned on the radio and heard various people calling in to report their experience of the quake. In classic Kiwi, understated fashion, callers would say "well, that was a wee shake!" or "that was quite a way to wake up this morning!" That gave me a good laugh at a time when I was just trying to hold my emotions together. A few neighbors were roaming the streets, checking in on people and making sure everyone was okay. After an hour or so and the announcement that it was indeed a big earthquake (7.4 was the first estimate), we decided to head inside and try and get some sleep. We piled into our double bed and everyone fell asleep except me. A few more rumbles shook our house and bed. A friend called at around 7:15am to check in on us and then we were all up. The whole neighborhood seemed to be out on the streets, walking in a daze, surveying the damage and just trying to come to grips with the big event of the morning.

It seems that many people in our neighborhood lost chimneys and fences.

One street over from us, there was evidence of liquefaction and many houses with damage.

We heard bubbling liquid sounds coming from our backyard which was a bit unnerving.

But all in all, we were fine. We even had a bit of a picnic with our neighbors. We built a fire and had a cuppa while we felt aftershocks roll through.


We haven't slept much the last two nights. The aftershocks keep coming quite frequently, ranging from 3.5-5.0 on the Richter scale. We are easily over the 100 mark with aftershocks (but who is counting!). We can hear them approaching, much like the sound of being at the bowling alley and releasing the ball down the lane. When the shock hits the house, it is like the bowling ball hitting the pins. Freaky.

Meanwhile, Mike's folks have arrived from the States (how is that for timing!), the schools are shut down until at least Wednesday and the central business district of the city is in shambles. Quite the way to mark our year anniversary of living in New Zealand. We will write more about that later, once the dust settles a bit.

P.S. For another perspective on the quake, check out our friend's blog. We are glad they are okay too.

P.P.S. Just felt another jolt while I was finishing up this post.