BF2S Forums Massive Earthquake hits Christchurch NZ.

Ty wrote:

Hey Pubic you know the one thing I haven't heard new of through this whole thing? The state of the Christchurch Cathedral. I mean big old stone building, definite quake risk, Christchurch/NZ icon, you'd think they'd report on whether it's damaged or not, especially since they dedicated weeks of media coverage into whether the Sky Tower was straight or not. I swear I've heard nothing about how it fared in the quake. Got any update for me on that?

It withstood the initial shake fine (as did the other cathedral), but they have found some cracks caused by aftershocks.

There was a big aftershock about 40 minutes ago.  It was only a 5.1, but was centred somewhere around the lyttelton tunnel and was only 5km deep.  Because it was so close it felt more like a 6, and I'm willing to bet it caused a bit of damage in town.  The Lyttelton tunnel is about 2km long, and is the main accessway between Christchurch and it's port at Lyttelton.

Office buildings have been evacced - again.

Edit: That tunnel has been closed, looks like its damaged.

Last edited by Pubic (2010-09-07 15:56:23)

i'll miss you, Ty

that never happens though

11 Bravo wrote:

are the sheep ok?

They're fucked ...

Couldn't resist

Still getting 5s over a month later:

http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/qua … 8384g.html

There was a quake concert last week.  140,000 people attended, which for a city with just under 400,000 is pretty big.  The city's mayor even got up and played guitar with one of the bands.

No 5s for a while...hillary clinton is visting NZ at the moment, perhaps mother nature is saving one up for when she gets to chch   Still getting smaller aftershocks, though they're becoming less frequent as time goes on.  That said, the most recent was a couple of hours ago - a 4.1, 10km from chch, and only 1km deep.

There was an audio recording of the quake played on TV last night if anyone is interested
http://www.tv3.co.nz/Shows/Reality/Camp … fault.aspx

Click on the November 3 episode, it starts at 10:30.  They try to restrict it to NZ viewers only, though I'm told this often falls over.  I don't know of any other URLs with this recording at present.

If you can listen, and want a fairly authentic quake simulation, turn your bass/volume up to max, turn out the lights, get under your desk, bounce around for a minute or so, have someone throw random household objects on the floor every ten seconds or so, and have two more people shake the desk/table which you're underneath

Last edited by Pubic (2010-11-03 13:16:16)

sex during an earthquake ................. easy work

Ty, I assure you it was a dramatic event - chch has been putting on a brave face, there was a few hundred hiroshimas worth of energy released.  Nerves across Canterbury were quite rattled in the month or two following the event.  Officially, the aftershocks haven't ended, though I haven't personally felt any in a few weeks.  I wouldn't be surprised to see an "its over" announcement soon.

Demolition of condemned buildings is continuing - slowly, but surely.  Rebuilding will inject a shitload of cash into the economy.  Some retailers have had their businesses wiped out by quake-induced business disruptions, though some of this could be attributable to the recession.  The mexican restaurant which was on the news a lot is the first "official" rebuild site to go ahead, though I've seen a few unofficial ones going on.

EQC cheques are starting to come through, which is good news for a lot of families at christmas time.  For those who don't know what EQC is, its basically a big pot of cash to be use in the event of of a major earthquake, funded by the taxpayer but supplemented by insurance levies.  Typically, EQC covers about 20% of a house's value (not sure of specifics) and insurance picks up the rest of the tab.  I know a lot of people who are receiving EQC money.  Some is only for minor plaster repairs, fucked televisions etc, though the odd person needs a new house - house is fine, but the land is fucked, and in order to fix the land they have to bowl the house...of course, the owners aren't complaining, as it means they get a brand new house, built to at least the same spec as the old one...

The restaurant in the first photo which I posted is being torn down.  According to a local newsletter, it has housed several butchers, and at one point a brothel.  The hairdresser across the road from it told me it once housed a lesbian bar...

On September 4, 2011 we're having an earthquake anniversary party at my flat.  The playlist will include such greats as "Boom! Shake the room" and "You shook me all night long"

edit: I checked, it wasn't several hundred hiroshimas worth, it was actually about fourty.

Last edited by Pubic (2010-12-26 11:15:44)

Pubic wrote:

So here I am editing my previous post, saying how only a couple of days after I make it there are more aftershocks at 2am on boxing day, big enough to cut the power...and theres another aftershock, a 4.9, which again cuts the power!

http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/qua … 7105g.html
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou … h&z=16

The latest swarm has felt about 0.5-1.0 bigger than when they are, on account of them being literally underneath the city.  One department store in town has broken windows from that last one, and my gf's sister had to dodge some falling glass!

And just then another tiny tremor...fs!

sucks to live in the ring of fire, I see

So, um. Part 2 happened today (or yesterday, or tomorrow. I forgot how time works over there)

This one was huge. Hit them during midday (Lunchtime) and was much closer to the city. 65 dead so far. City looks in ruins. Wonder what Ty's upto...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12540345

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12533722

I spent forever looking for that thread, I even searched New Zealand and Earthquake and nothing came up. Screw you all, you're the crazy guys around here