Earthquake

[vilakins]

There was a large 7.5 earthquake felt over much of the country here overnight with damage and two dead, but we didn't feel it at all where we are; I slept right through it. There were tsunami warnings, but no tsunamis as far as I know, just some large waves.

Comments

[kalypso]

I'm very glad, again, that you are safe.

[vilakins]

Me too, but I'm worried about Greg who drove to Christchurch this morning after the first one to see a client and said there was another around noon lasting over a minute.

[kalypso]

Hope he's got home safely and that there have been no serious shocks today.

[vilakins]

He's there for another couple of days. It seems to have been calm overnight which is good.

[kalypso]

Good. Fingers crossed that the worst is over.

[vilakins]

Well, there've been hundreds of smaller quakes, but not felt there or here.

In latest news, Wellington is cut off by floods. We've had crap spring weather all over the country and it just gets worse; wet summer predicted.

[cuddles good-luck cat Sebastian]

[kalypso]

Oddly enough, we had a chain of earth-tremors in Manchester in 2002 - they went on for weeks, but the biggest one was only 3.9 (that one was slightly alarming). Mostly they felt like a big lorry driving past and the making doors and windows rattle, or weren't detectable to ordinary human senses at all. We've had the odd one since (the last one I remember was the night Tony Wilson died in 2007, because I thought he'd be quite pleased by the idea that the earth shook as he departed).

During the 2002 chain, I began to feel quite possessive about them, and remember one day when I was visiting Yorkshire I found myself worrying that I might be missing a good tremor. So I hope what's left isn't any worse than that.

(Obviously I'm not intending to make light of the much deadlier earthquakes that you and other countries get.)

[vilakins]

That gave me a good laugh!

They're saying we're due for a really big one and there's a 12% chance of it in the next couple of days. Even if not, I've stocked up on non-perishables as much of it comes from Auckland warehouses and the roads are closed. There'll be shortages for a while. Maybe now they'll realise that decentralisation is a good thing.

[kalypso]

After this, I sat down in front of the television with Abby, and was surprised to find that a documentary that was talking about the destruction of Palmyra (by the Romans rather than Daesh) when I switched on) then moved on to discuss architectural precautions to limit the effects of earthquakes in San Francisco. It turned out to be about "architecture shaped or threatened by disaster" which seemed to be a rather loose theme for "things that are quite interesting but wouldn't make an hour's programme on their own" - we also got the restoration of the Frauenkirche in Dresden and a very interesting minaret in Afghanistan.

(Samarkand icon as the tiling on the minaret wasn't entirely unlike stuff I've seen in Uzbekistan.)

[vilakins]

That sounds interesting. And that's a beautiful icon.

I suppose earthquakes have affected us in that a lot of houses further north, especially in Wellington, are wooden rather than brick (UK visitors often sneer) but there are many more stone buildings here and in Dunedin.

When I worked in Wellington, it was on the 14th floor of a building right on the fault line, built to split in two if necessary and be flexible rather than break. There was a fair amplitude of sway when a quake hit and I'd shoot under my desk while the Wellingtonians acted blase and laughed at me. It wasn't much fun going down the stairwells 14 floors in the dark though. Once we saw an earthquake coming through the city like a wave; very freaky.

I must create a more local icon.

[mab_browne]

Yeah, the lower South Island doesn't seem to have been affected, which is good.

[vilakins]

I hope it stays that way, given my operation next week.

[mab_browne]

Oh lord, yes indeed.

[jekesta]

Glad to know you're okay. (And your icon use made me smile, such a nicely understated reaction to possible tsunamis.)

[vilakins]

Apparently there was a warning during the night but no sirens, so I mightn't even know if there was one! A lot of Oamaru is flat and pretty much sea-level, so a bit scary even though our house is on a big hill.

Yours is much more appropriate! And reminds me I never finished watching Psych and I need some fun shows to make me laugh.

[gwendraith]

I saw it on the news, just horrible for NZ to be suffering with another earthquake. Glad you weren't affected and are safe.

[vilakins]

There've been heaps in the last 24 hours; poor people in Kaikoura.

[nautile26.livejournal.com]

First bit of news I heard when I woke up this morning! I thought oh no, not poor Christchurch again! And tsunami warnings as well, that's truly terrifying.
Glad to hear you weren't affected and the warnings were downgraded.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I have wondered about tsunamis here as much of the town is flat and at sea level. I'm glad I live on a hill, but it would be a right disaster here.

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you are safe,the moment I heard the news I thought of you and yours.

Poor Christchurch again!

[executrix.livejournal.com]

What jaxomsride said!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Greg's there right now - he drove here after the first one for a regular client meeting - and said there was another minute-long one at noon. :-(

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Just saw the news on that! I'm glad things were less shaky where you are, at least.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

And it had better stay that way with my operation next week.

[elmey.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you posted! and that you're fine. I saw the news and wondered how close to you the quake was--the tsunami warnings were the scariest part.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I think there were warnings in the night, but no sirens which isn't a lot of use. So far all the tsunami warnings have been fizzlers, but they're now saying there's a 12% chance of a really big quake. :-(

[ultrapsychobrat.livejournal.com]

Glad you're okay. Take care.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I will. I'll be glad when Greg's back here again.

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear it, mrs. Stay safe.

[katriona-s.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to know you are safe!

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

And I do hope all is well even after the second quake! Let´s hope it was the last one! Stay safe , you and Greg and the cats!

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I've been away on holiday; hence the late response. I heard about the earthquake, and I'm relieved that you're OK.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Some people felt it here but we didn't.