[Pyro7480]

"BreakingNews" account on Twitter reporting that the epicenter was a mere 4 miles from Christchurch!

[Tennessee Nana]

My brother lives in CHCH

[agooga]

That’s a BIG shaker— hoping the damage is small and folks are OK.

[bobcat62]

Do a search for “Newstalk ZB” to find an audio stream in New Zealand.

[null and void]

Local color please?

[Vicki]

Have good customer over in Christchurch. Been dealing with him for many years. Hope he’s okay!

[mad_as_he$$]

You OK mate?

[rintense]

You still here??? Check in!

[MediaMole]

Live radio news stream...

http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/live/rnzi/adaptive.asx

[Ditter]

I have a 1st cousin in Christchurch.

[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)

[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)

[Palladin]

Many photos here:

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

[GVnana]

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

[balch3]

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

[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...

[shredderman]

My Wife and I have good friends also not too far from Christchurch. She’s been trying to see if he’s up on Facebook, but nothing so far. And a phonecall she made also didn’t go through. I hope He and his Family are alright............