Second anniversary of our deadly earthquake

[MikeH1A]

The 22nd of February is the second anniversary of the 6.3 quake that shattered our fair city. It took the lives of some 185 folk and injured many, many more. Lives were altered forever for lots of folk and our city is a mere outline of what it was. Two years on, we are still demolishing broken buildings and the central city looks like a wasteland. Although I have essentially lived in Christchurch all my life, I can no longer orient myself to what was where. Large parts of town are simply flat and empty. In other corners, there are piles of rubble and the skyline is dominated by large cranes doing their "deconstructing".

Today is a reflective time for my fellow citizens as we head to work and carry on - the roads are still crap but the workers are toiling hard to sort out the infrastructure. In my job, I have worked closely with some of the injured people who were trapped in the rubble for many hours. They have shown amazing strength of character and a spirit that is quite humbling. To hear their stories of lying in the dark, in pain with tons of concrete on and around them has been inspiring and sobering - at times, I wonder if I would have been that calm. For those who luckily escaped injury, the stress continues with damaged housing and multinational insurance companies simply trying to minimise their exposure and the amount they pay out. This is really grinding people down and the insurance giants are interpreting and reinterpreting the wording of policies to mitigate their loss - believe all the bad stories you have ever heard about that industry (and while you can, carefully recheck your policy wording!). Still, people are getting back into life and finding what we call a "new normal". We are optimistic that there are opportunites to rebuild things better than before. There are plans for some exciting things for the city but we know the pricetag of billions is going to be a challenge. However, the focus is on the future and a great environment for our kids.

WOW, where did two years go?

Mike

[parksie]

Move to Oz mate, we might have bushfires but at least we get some warning.
Seriously, I wouldn't know how I would handle earthquakes as I've never been in one and hopefully never will.
We see the reconstruction of Christchurch on the news here every now and then. Looks a real mess.

[MikeH1A]

I think half the country has already moved over there Still you have plenty of room west of the eastern seaboard for a few 100 million

[Suzsmokeyallan]

I looked at the city photos of Christ Church and its aright mess after the earthquake. As usual lots of buildings with historical architecture were badly damaged and many people displaced or killed. The liquification photos were the ones that got my attention, it seemed to happen where vehicles were parked for some reason.

I've been in one earthquake and its not amusing at all, it plays with your inner ear first and you suddenly feel nauseous, then you feel the room is moving around you.
The thing is, it actually is, and then it dawns on you that the room is moving and you are in an earthquake event.
The panic or fear mode sets in when you realize there really is no safe place to be.

[parksie]

Mike
You're not wrong, I think half of my mates are Kiwis, though only one is from the Sth Island.

I can't believe that its two years since that earthquake, though I do believe you've had some more since then. Hope the insurance companies are looking after you lot.