Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Strong Quake Hits New Zealand, Causing Injuries

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Strong Quake Hits New Zealand, Causing Injuries

    Feb 21, 2011 – 7:36 PM

    WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- A strong, 6.3-magnitude earthquake rocked the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch on Tuesday, seriously injuring people and damaging buildings throughout the city.

    Live video footage showed parts of buildings collapsed into the streets, which were strewn with bricks and shattered concrete. Sidewalks and roads were cracked and split, and hundreds of dazed, screaming and crying residents wandered through the streets as sirens blared throughout the city.

    Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said he was on the top floor of the city council building when the quake hit just before 1 p.m. local time, throwing him across the room.

    "I got down onto the street and there were scenes of great confusion, a lot of very upset people," he said. "I know of people in our building who are injured and I've had some reports of serious injuries throughout the city."

    Radio New Zealand reported that a church near the city center collapsed. The station also said staffers in its Christchurch newsroom had to cling to their desks during the shaking, with large filing cabinets toppling over.

    The airport was closed and Christchurch Hospital was evacuated. Power and telephone lines were knocked out, and pipes burst, flooding the streets with water. Some cars apparently parked on the street were buried under rubble.

    "What I can see from where I am in the central city is that there are significant amounts of additional damage," Parker said.

    The U.S. Geological Survey said the temblor was centered 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the city at a depth of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers). A 5.6-magnitude aftershock hit shortly after 7 miles (11 kilometers) east of the city at a depth of 3.7 miles (6 kilometers).

    "When the shaking had stopped I looked out of the window, which gives a great view onto Christchurch, and there was just dust," said city councilman Barry Corbett, who was on one of the top floors of the city council building when the quake struck. "It was evident straight away that a lot of buildings had gone."

    Christchurch has been hit by hundreds of aftershocks since a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Sept. 4 last year, causing extensive damage and a handful of injuries, but no deaths.

    The city is home to about 350,000 people and is considered a tourist center and gateway to the South Island.

    New Zealand sits on the Pacific "ring of fire" - an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones stretching from Chile in South America through Alaska and down through the South Pacific. It records more than 14,000 earthquakes a year - but only about 150 are felt by residents, and fewer than 10 a year do any damage.

    The Sept. 4 quake wrecked hundreds of buildings in the city, and caused an estimated 4 billion New Zealand dollars ($3 billion) in damage. A strong aftershock in December caused further damage to buildings.

    The city was still rebuilding from those quakes when Tuesday's temblor hit.

    Strong Quake Hits New Zealand; Church Collapses

  • #2
    Roll call for all New Zealander members.....is everyone okay?

    Comment


    • #3
      I'm fine, we felt it in Welly but no damage. Christchurch looks like a war zone, multiple deaths. I'm busy organising our mobile satellite uplinks to use for civil dfence comms cause the landlines and cell towers are out. Talk about it later when I've got time.
      In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

      Leibniz

      Comment


      • #4
        Take care. Hope you've no family south island way. I wish all of you to be safe and well.
        "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski
        "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." Lester Bangs

        Comment


        • #5
          Glad to hear you are safe Pari. God bless all of you there. :)

          Comment


          • #6
            Glad to hear you're OK. Keep us updated.

            Here's the USGS link:
            M6.3 – South Island of New Zealand
            Reddite igitur quae sunt Caesaris Caesari et quae sunt Dei Deo
            (Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's)

            Comment


            • #7
              Thoughts are with you all down there..............................
              sigpicFEAR NAUGHT

              Should raw analytical data ever be passed to policy makers?

              Comment


              • #8
                Watch out for the after shocks. I heard about the earthquake south of Fiji on Monday and wondered if NZ would get hit

                Comment


                • #9
                  We are getting a New Zealand TV feed non-stop here. It is just terrible. So far 17 confirmed deaths, but I fear more to come. Thinking about our brothers & sisters across the ditch.
                  sigpic

                  Win nervously lose tragically - Reds C C

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Bigfella View Post
                    We are getting a New Zealand TV feed non-stop here. It is just terrible. So far 17 confirmed deaths, but I fear more to come. Thinking about our brothers & sisters across the ditch.
                    Just heard that some police officers are saying 200-300 may be dead. I hope they are wrong and way out on those figures

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      PM John Key says the death toll is now 65.
                      sigpic

                      Win nervously lose tragically - Reds C C

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by dave lukins View Post
                        Just heard that some police officers are saying 200-300 may be dead. I hope they are wrong and way out on those figures
                        It could easily go that high Dave, though it is hard to know. Given the confusion at this point in most such disasters there are probably people who can't be accounted for who are perfectly OK. Having said that, there are probably still a lot of dead who haven't been located.

                        I'm just watchin a press conference by the Australian Foregin Minister & Attorney General. We are sending search & rescue people immediately and have offered medical resources if needed (plus anything else that is asked for). Apparently all search & rescue people we can spare will be sent or ready to go by sun up tommorrow. Just wish we could do more.
                        sigpic

                        Win nervously lose tragically - Reds C C

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Bigfella View Post
                          It could easily go that high Dave, though it is hard to know. Given the confusion at this point in most such disasters there are probably people who can't be accounted for who are perfectly OK. Having said that, there are probably still a lot of dead who haven't been located.

                          I'm just watchin a press conference by the Australian Foregin Minister & Attorney General. We are sending search & rescue people immediately and have offered medical resources if needed (plus anything else that is asked for). Apparently all search & rescue people we can spare will be sent or ready to go by sun up tommorrow. Just wish we could do more.
                          As it happened at 12.50pm there would have been lots of people on the streets going about their business which will account for the high death toll compared to the quake 6 months ago which happened at 4am. For two quakes to hit within six months must be devastating. Thoughts with everyone out there.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by dave lukins View Post
                            As it happened at 12.50pm there would have been lots of people on the streets going about their business which will account for the high death toll compared to the quake 6 months ago which happened at 4am. For two quakes to hit within six months must be devastating. Thoughts with everyone out there.
                            Dave,

                            The fact it was during business hours was certainly a bad thing - lots of people in office buildings. The fact that it was at lunch time might make it harder to work out easily who is & isn't trapped in office buildings. It was also a much more destructive quake. Smaller than September, but much shallower (5km deep vs 15km). Sadly this would have been more lethal at any time of the day, but midday was certainly terrible timing.
                            Last edited by Bigfella; 22 Feb 11,, 07:17.
                            sigpic

                            Win nervously lose tragically - Reds C C

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Thoughts and prayers go out to you guys down there.
                              Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

                              Abusing Yellow is meant to be a labor of love, not something you sell to the highest bidder.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X