NZ suffers 14,000 tremours per year. The known fault lines areas, like Wellington, earthquakes are a frequent occurance, as there are constant movements in the tectonic plates. With both Napier in 1931 and Christchurch these cities are outside the known fault line, in Christchurch's case sediments have covered the fault lines and earthquake activity hasn't been active for thousands of years.
Having experienced many an earthquake in Wellington, it is the silence before a quake that is eerie, then the rumble as the eathquake makes it way towards you and finally the shaking. With the Christchruch quake its epicentre and shallowness meant there was little warning and people were simply caught in the devastating destruction.
The tradegy is that whilst the majority of buildings structure withstood the earthquate, the people in the CTV buidling had no chance. Very few building collapsed which is a testament to the earthquake proofing of buildings throughout NZ.
The saddest site was the Cathedral, it reminds you of Coventry.
On my way to NZ I meet a number of English travellers that were about to embark on a NZ tour, most were going to visit Christchurch at some stage of their tour.
Our thoughts are with the people of Christchurch, we know that they have been thought an awful trauma, earthquakes of this devastation are rare and loss of life is very extremely upsetting. Christchurch will survive, New Zealand will sruvive but there are tough times ahead.
The antipodean spirit is hard to break and we know that whatever else people will be put first and foremost. From the top down this engenders a togetherness and camaradre that strenghtens a sense of community and identity.
Simon
