Magnitude 7.4 quake hits New Zealand (4 MILES from Christchurch!)

National Post ^ | 09/03/2010 | Ron Nurwisah

[Pyro7480]

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 has hit near the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Christchurch is the second-largest city in New Zealand and has a population of about 380,000.

[sarah fan UK]

Just got off the phone to my mother in New Zealand - she lives in Masterton (lower North island) and she didn’t even know there had been an earthquake but to be fair it happened at 4.35am local. Felt in southern south island mainly but luckily it was deep at 35km. I remember the South Island West Coast 7.1 earthquake in 1968 which was felt v strongly in the lower North Island as it was much shallower and to this day I still can’t believe how much the earth can move! You have earthquake and Tsunami drill hammered into you from birth out there for good reason. Luckily the UK doesn’t have very many!

[Myrddin]

Downgraded to 7.1. Fresh water and sewage not functioning in Christchurch. Brick facades have fallen off buildings and damaged cars. Brick chimneys are down. Homes are a mess inside. The wired phone system is functioning in spite of a power outage. The live stream from Newstalk ZB in Christchurch is fielding phone calls from local residents to assess the damage.

[gungadin]

Struck 30km west of Christchurch in Darfield

No deaths reported but some injuries

Felt widely over the South Island but not the North Island (I live in the North Island)

[Rennes Templar]

“The wired phone system is functioning in spite of a power outage.’

This is why we still carry a landline and a non-cordless phone.

[OwenKellogg]

Check in!

[bd476]

Earthquake Ping List.
If you wish to be removed from the Earthquake Ping List or added to it, please FReepmail me.

Magnitude 7.0

Date-Time Friday, September 03, 2010 at 16:35:46 UTC
Saturday, September 04, 2010 at 04:35:46 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location 43.530°S, 172.120°E
Depth 5 km (3.1 miles) set by location program
Region SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
Distances

55 km (35 miles) WNW of Christchurch, New Zealand
185 km (115 miles) S of Westport, New Zealand
305 km (190 miles) NNE of Dunedin, New Zealand
325 km (200 miles) SW of WELLINGTON, New Zealand

[NormsRevenge]

Damage is seen on a motorway, north of Christchurch September 4, 2010. A major earthquake of 7.4 magnitude hit New Zealand, 30 km (20 miles) west of Christchurch early on Saturday morning, causing no immediate reports of casualties but widespread damage, authorities said. REUTERS/James Ball via Your View (NEW ZEALAND - Tags: DISASTER)

[Cindy]

Thanks bobcat62 for pointing to these links.

#

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/

Listen live:
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/streaming/listenlivewindow/

[Cindy]

Thanks for the ping bd476.

[Uncle Ike]

“Rescue crews search for people trapped in New Zealand rubble

Two seriously hurt; two suburbs may be evacuated with water, power, bridges, roads out across Christchurch area “

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38993181/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

“By Alex Johnson and Elizabeth Chuck
Reporters

msnbc.com
updated 1 hour 38 minutes ago
Share Print Font: +-Rescue teams were searching for people trapped in the rubble of a major earthquake that caused extensive damage Saturday in Christchurch, New Zealand’s second-largest city.

Basic sanitation was likely to become a major health concern because numerous sewer and water lines were damaged across the city, Civil Defense officials said. About 1,000 residents of two suburbs were put on alert to evacuate their homes as widespread damage to sewer pipes threatened major flooding.

Two men were seriously injured and scores of other people suffered less serious injuries in the aftermath of the quake, which registered 7.0 on the Richter scale. It struck at 4:35 a.m. (1:35 p.m. Friday ET), the U.S. Geological Survey said in Washington. “

[snip]

[Cindy]

Ping.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/

Listen live:
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/streaming/listenlivewindow/

[Palladin]

Many photos here:

http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/09/03/magnitude-7-4-quake-hits-new-zealand/

[naturalman1975]

I visit Christchurch fairly regularly but am nowhere near it at the moment. Prayers to all.

[GVnana]

I’ve lived through a 7.0. This is bad news.

[Myrddin]

The 7.2 that struck on Easter near San Diego did damage like that to roads near Mexicali. Quite a mess.

[MarMema]

That’s what our last one sounded like. A train in the distance.

[MarMema]

Thanks for posting that link!

[balch3]

Coincidence? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4081089.stm

[PastorBooks]

“Coincidence?”

Good catch. It’s a very REAL possibility.

There was a lot of talk about hurricane Katrina forming over the Atlantic at the same time George Bush was pushing Israel to accept concessions with the Palistinians. I don’t remember the specifics, but there were many “coincidences” noted at the time.

[Tennessee Nana]

Christchurch was the first city in NZ

I had family on the First Four Ships, 1850

Also called the Summer Ships...

Equal to the Mayflower in importance and reverence..

The Church of England sent 16 ship loads of settlers to Canterbury..

The Compact mentioned the Mayflower and promised that the same thing would not happen..

Workmen were sent our ahead of the settlers..

Before the ships arrived there were already roads, houses, stores, wharves etc built and gardens started...

However the road from Lyttle to to Christchurch was not finished..

They arrived in Lyttleton and had to walk over what was called the Bridle Path..Not easy to do...My daughter walked it for the 150th Anniversary ... she was in shorts and sneakers...my ggg grandmother had worn all the petticoats etc and helped several little children as well..

My family lived in Hagley Park for a few weeks until they moved into a house and eventually moved to the Rakaia River area..

Christchurch is a beautiful city ...I hope the destruction is not too bad..

my father was born and raised there on Montreal Street... my grandmothers old house was moved to the Ferrymead project..

We used to visit a lot when I was a child...At that time the names of the passengers on the 4 ships were etched into the sides of the Cathedral just above the sidewalk on all 4 sides of the Canterbury Cathedral in Cathedral Square ...They were easy to read and photograph..We were proud of the names of our family and always spent time there..

PC and dislike for the white mans invasion caused them to be torn up and put in a corner in shiny marbly stuff that reflects everything including the one holding the camera and most people dont know what they mean...

I was last there 2 years ago...Cathedral Square is now more like a Renaissance fair than a Christian center for worship...