Posted on 02/24/2011 4:07:00 PM PST by DieHard the Hunter
Folks, I have been in lurk-mode for about a year. However, the awful events in Christchurch NZ have prompted me to post this general update, for anyone in FReeperland who may be interested.
By now, you will have heard the bare facts concerning the Christchurch earthquake, so I won't reiterate them here. The official death toll currently sits at just under 100, with expectations it may well rise to 300+. It is a terrible situation, one that New Zealand was never expecting.
My beloved Guardian Angels NZ organization has 3 Lads in Christchurch. They are all OK, as are their families, tho' one of them had a very close call. It was difficult to make contact with any of them in the hours immediately after the quake: I eventually succeeded at 02h43 early Wednesday morning, via txt.
I was at the Auckland and Wellington airports yesterday: I have never in my life seen them busier. The Red Cross has a very visible presence -- I counted at least 10 and probably more -- just attending to the earthquake victims being flown out of Canterbury (that's the province Christchurch is in). The NZ Police, too -- a huge presence. All churches of all denominations: most noticeable are the Sally Anns, of course: the are in uniform so they are highly visible.
I have been receiving updates and communiques since Tuesday, from people in Christchurch: government sources, police sources, private individuals, NGO's. It is very clear that something terrible has happened. It is also clear that hard intelligence is difficult to find, and even harder to sift thru.
There is lots of vague information and disinformation coming from Christchurch, and sorting the Credible from the Incredible is a bit of a task. Naturally, one cannot and should not believe every report.
I note with interest that a "boil water" advisory is in place. This means the water supply is probably contaminated with fecal microorganisms -- as one might expect. The sewerage pipes will have been breached by the quake. It is not always safe to "boil water" -- particularly when doing so would concentrate a toxin that might be present.
However, a "boil water" advisory signals the potential for a significant public health risk from infectious water-borne disease. I suspect we may see an outbreak of those, in the coming months.
The whole world has sent practical aid and assistance. One of the first to respond was, of course, the Americans. You have filled up aeroplanes with men and equipment and shipped them halfway 'round the world to help us here in New Zealand. That is one of the things America does best, and it happens all the time, every day. We are very grateful.
My in-tray has been SWAMPED with offers to help the earthquake effort: from private individuals, from NGO's. Mostly from America but also from around the globe. Today I am spending the afternoon trying to find out proper OFFICIAL channels to ensure these offers are properly addressed...
...which is one of the reasons why I am posting to you today. As usual, there are slimeballs out there who are trying to make a quick buck out of the Christchurch quake. New Zealand's Consumer Affairs is onto the case, and has issued a warning to people to be very wary about solicitations for Christchurch aid:
www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/scam-news/scam-alert-42
Americans are generous people by nature, and it would be exceedingly easy to get ripped off by unprincipled parasites asking for "aid for Christchurch". Be cautious. The International Red Cross is active here, so is the Salvation Army: both are reasonably safe options for anybody wanting to donate, and both are intimately involved in the recovery efforts. The Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, the Mormons -- all are active in NZ.
Beyond that, it is probably risky to send any money to anybody else, IMO. If that changes I will, naturally, pass this information on.
For the time being, the International Alliance of Guardian Angels NZ Charitable Trust is not accepting donations for the Christchurch Earthquake: this is because we do not yet have a credible channel thru which donations can find their way to those who need help. I am working on that, naturally.
However, if you do receive solicitations in our name, please pay no attention to them. If/when the time comes that we are able to channel assistance where it is needed, I shall issue a proper communique. There is a piece of Logistical work that would need to be done, first...
I would like to personally petition God Almighty to NOT visit such disasters as this on places called by the name of ChristChurch . To please instead visit such fates upon places called by the name of Mecca or Tehran or Pyongyang .
Please Lord , it looks bad
Amen
Thank you for posting this! Oddly, or maybe not so oddly, here in the US, NZ’s earthquake has definitely been back burner news barely worth mentioning. My eldest son, Randy lives in Christchurch where he teaches psychology at the University, and we didn’t know what had happened to him or his family for several days. Finally, my daughter was chatting online on a feline diabetes board with a woman who lives in Christchurch, and that’s how we really had firsthand news of how bad things were. Then one of my son’s students emailed my daughter to say the earthquake had hit just after class, but that she thought he was all right.
And he is fine, but his home is totally destroyed. The only reason his wife and little son are unharmed is that morning, on a sudden impulse, he’d left the family debit card for her to find on the off chance that she might want to go shopping. So she’d gone to the mall with little Daniel, and they were safe and sound. When they returned home, the neighborhood was devastated and all that was left of their home was a tilting chimney and caved in walls. A temporary site was set up nearby for everyone to stay in relative safety, and they spent the first night in a tent sleeping on bare ground as aftershocks rattled their bones. Randy described the liquification of the ground, too, which is enough to make your hair stand on end. What a terrible thing this is. I try to compare it to hurricane Katrina and Louisiana, but at least they knew it was coming and had a chance to flee before the storm hit. Maybe it’s more like Pompeii and Herculaneum. But I do believe that my son’s guardian angel had something to do with that sudden impulse to leave the debit card where his wife would find it. So she went shopping and they’re all well. Rebuilding will take time and effort, but New Zealanders are tough, resilient people, and they’ll do just fine. I pray for those whose lives were lost, all those missing Japanese students, too. Those gravely injured as well. Life is so precious, and this earthquake is surely a life changing event for everyone. If you have those you love, you have everything.
A strong, shallow earthquake combined with liquefaction is a serious situation. This Californian knows well, and I have been following the story closely. The collapsed cathedral spire told the tale, as did the other unreinforced masonry buildings. I was sad to see the cathedral, and have been very sad to hear about the mounting death toll. I didn’t make it to Christchurch when I was down in NZ unfortunately, but know what a wonderful people Kiwis are. Our prayers to all in NZ!
Maybe the Lord doesn’t do everything he gets blamed for. Job thought it was the Lord doing all the dirt to him, but it was the Devil actually doing it.
Amen, so mote it be.
(Sad grin!)— I agree. We should probably ask the insurance companies to alter their terminology, from “Acts of God” to “Acts of Satan”.
Sheet home the responsibility to where it properly belongs.
“Maybe the Lord doesn’t do everything he gets blamed for. Job thought it was the Lord doing all the dirt to him, but it was the Devil actually doing it.”
Please read the book of Job. The devil can do nothing without God allowing him to do so. Everything that happens is from God. Praise Him to the highest heights, He is worthy of all the praise.
It really is nice to see you post! Unfortunately, it's under such heartbreaking conditions.
Our media was/is so lacking in the reporting of this tragedy that those of us following it have had to resort to foreign newspapers and yes, al jeezera (sigh). A friend here posted yesterday that she and you had contact and that you were OK...that was some good news as we had asked about you.
Don't stay away so long...if possible! :) Our prayers are with you and all of NZ. Any updates would be welcome.
About time you showed up here FRiend!
Good to see you.
Our hearts go out to your countrymen.
*HUGS*
Long time no see Diehard... humble Prayers for your Nation and people! We have heard next to nothing in my area, sad that.
Welcome “home” DieHard. We have missed you. It’s good to see you, but not under these circumstances. Many prayers for Christchurch and for the families of all those who have been killed or are missing. It truly is horrific, and I especially pray that they find more survivors. Don’t be gone so long next time. God bless.
Hope things are getting a little better over there. I’ve heard of no solicitations for aid yet. News from Christchurch has dropped off the radar this week.
I will make my donation through the Salvation Army, a well-trusted organization.
Best of luck to you and your workers!
Cheers mate — the death toll is rising, well over 100+ now. The city is one Hell of a mess, not easily fixed, and not soon.
Our Prime Minister has announced an international appeal for aid. Beyond that, the Sally Anns are definitely an excellent way to help out, as are the Red Cross.
Thanks for thinking about us DownUnder NZ, mate!
Cheers,
*DieHard*
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