[selah]

6.3 magnitude earthquake

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10708013

[fanfayre]

My cousin lives near there, and he posted about 1 hr post-EQ that they were okay, but I've read many more aren't

[jetsmom]

Poor Australia...they've really been taking a beating lately.

[Kentucky]

Wow, those people need all the prayers, they can get.

[Horse with No Name]

psssst jetsmom, Chch is in New Zealand (just across the Tasman Sea from Australia)

Prime Minister John Key confirmed 65 dead and toll rising I have a brother-in-law and lots of horsey friends (actually I only have horsey friends, I don't know any normal peeps) there, started feeling like a bit of a stalker as I txted and messaged until I knew everyone was okay which is good for me but not so for other people.

We were in Chch in Nov about eight weeks after the Sept quake, the damage this time is going to be so much bigger as a lot of the buildings were already weakened from the first big quake.

Thoughts and prayers to everyone; will go to FB and see how we can help.

[Polydor]

Massive jingles.

Heard from my one friend that she is good. I think all others are on north Island.

We have a couple people from NZ here on COTH don't we?? Hoping they are fine and will check in soon when possible.

P.

[HorsesinHaiti]

Praying for the folks there.

[lolita1]

[IfWishesWereHorses]

Its pretty devastating...this morning people are being pulled frrom the rubble, both dead and alive. Cars on the roads in the central city had buildings fall on them...people crushed to death. Just horrendous.

Thankfully its not in my city, but a horrendous situation for all concerned.

www.stuff.co.nz has lots about it.

[KathyR]

Sending many good wishes for all involved.

[Somermist]

Good thoughts and prayers to all.

[Zu Zu]

Thoughts and prayers for ALL ~

[eventgroupie2]

More thoughts and prayers from VA for all those affected.....

[jetsmom]

psssst jetsmom, Chch is in New Zealand (just across the Tasman Sea from Australia)

.

Apparently I slept through geography. They DO have Koalas, and Kangaroos in both places, don't they? And neat accents? Sending prayers to BOTH Australia and NZ, anyways.

[Horse with No Name]

Apparently I slept through geography. They DO have Koalas, and Kangaroos in both places, don't they? And neat accents? Sending prayers to BOTH Australia and NZ, anyways.

lol jetsmom, I am the most geographically challenged person on the planet.

Koalas and kangaroos in Australia, wallabies (think smaller kangaroos) in New Zealand. Similar accents, hard to pick sometimes until you hear someone say fish and chips (apparenlty kiwis think Aussies say fush and chups but that's debatable... )

All prayers for both countries appreciated. Earthquake toll stands at 71. USAR teams from overseas are now in NZ to work with their own teams. Many people still missing...

[SmartAlex]

One of my fellow horse bloggers lives near there, and her husband was in Christchurch when it hit. He was OK, although she had to wait a couple of hours to find that out. I imagine she has a CoTH ID, but I don't know what it is.

Jingle jingle jingle for our friends, and prayers for all of NZ

[Marengo]

Hey, thanks everyone for the well wishes. I'm in Wellington not Christchurch but the quake is now affecting the whole country. People are mobilizing to get basic supplies to ChCh and lots folks from ChCh are getting out of the city as its going to be a long recovery. There are also lots of stranded tourists who have been transferred to Wellington and Auckland to free up some beds in ChCh for rescue workers. There has been an appeal here for people to offer up a bed to a tourist until they can get an international flight home, its been amazing how many people take in total strangers. I'm originally for North America and I find such open kindness quite surprising.

This quake was so much worse than the last one for several reasons. This one was centred only 5km (3miles) out of the city centre and at a very shallow depth as well. It also struck mid day while the Sept. quake happened in the middle of the night 30kim outside of the city, and it was a bit deeper too. Also there have been numerous aftershocks for months which have weakened all the structures.

One more factor contributing to the destruction was that up until last Sept. there was no known fault line near Christchurch. As a result ChCh contained all its original colonial buildings. Colonial buildings in other cities have been knocked down by various quakes in other parts of NZ. Its sort of like a forest that has never had a forest fire, there's a lot more flammable material.

If any of you would like to contribute funds here's a link for international donors:
http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/

Btw, there are no kangaroos or even small wallabies here. NZ has unique bird, insect and plant life, the best well known is the kiwi bird. Although who knows a few more earthquakes and perhaps the two land masses will come together!

[Hey Jude]

I'm nowhere near Christchurch but have many horse friends in and around the area. By all accounts they're surviving/coping in trying conditions. Those who would like to elave the area won't or can't because of their animals although the whole country has opened their arms and homes and kennels/paddocks to anyonewho wants and needs them.

Most of our news reports have centered on the central city damage and death toll (123 and rising this morning ) and not much news coming from the suburbs. The SPCA has been innundated with displaced animals; today $77,000 of pet food and supplies is making its way towards Christchurch from Auckland.

BTW Marengo, wallabies used to thrive in the Bay of Plenty where Igrew up - we used to see them as we drove through the bush.

[Marengo]

I thought wallabies in the North Island were a few accidentally introduced ones from Oz. Didn't think they were native and thought they were rounded up.

I've heard some great stories of people taking in horses but I've also seen a few free sales ads with people trying to give horses away because they can no longer care for them.

[Plumcreek]

Email from a close friend with daughter going to University in Christchurch:

Daughter was in front of the University Library when it hit, about to
get onto her motorcycle.

She and friends headed towards 'high ground' at the base of the
southern alps and are camping.

I will fly her home on Monday.

It is so sad.

One never thinks of a NZ earthquake that will kill people. Haiti,
yes. NZ, no.

I had always read about liquifaction. But now I have seen it. 12+ inches of it, silting up roads and back yards and unreal. Jello.

Yes, it was a bad one.