Re: [Callers] Quake

Dear Andrea and Bob (and other on SW), We have received so many messages of support that we have written a letter about the earthquake: Thank you for getting in touch. We were very lucky and are fine. Also our son Peter and his partner Gemma who live next door are ok. We have had very little damage – a few cracks in the walls, mainly another big mess to clean up, books all over the floor and food piled high on the pantry floor, even with the earthquake proofing we tried to do. The garden terraces suffered a bit, and a few cracks in the drive. Pete’s house is liveable but the brick façade has fallen off on one side and lots of windows are shattered. We spent yesterday putting a big tarpaulin on the wall, and plastic sheeting on the windows. Power came back today – hence internet access again. The water is out (and maybe take quite a while to be restored), and no sewage, so a hole in the garden for the time being. We have felt very isolated. We only had a small crackly battery radio for news and had no idea how bad it was in the city. Also we were very ill prepared, in spite of already having had a big quake last year and being warned of possible large aftershocks. We have had lots of small ones, about 4000 in all, up to magnitude 5 or so, and grew a bit complacent. It was strange not being able to communicate with anyone we couldn’t walk to. No electricity, no phone, no cellphone, no internet or email, no water, no sewage. It felt like we had gone back in time 50 years or more, we have got used to all our mod cons, and instant communication to anywhere. Liz was in the middle of making courgette soup when it struck, so we ate cold halfcooked and unblended soup for tea. Yummy! This morning we dug out our old gas burner (cups of tea!) and bottles of water we stored way back, and found the candles. Veges in the garden, so fresh corn for tea. And tomatoes. We’ve just begun to see what has been happening in CHCH and Lyttelton. We are feeling a bit shattered and fragile, this earthquake is much different than the one last year where no one died or was injured. Luckily, all of our close friends are unhurt, although a few have major damage to their houses and have had to move out. Last year it struck at 4 am when everyone was safely in bed, but this one was at lunchtime and lots of people were about. Although it was only 6.3 and last year 7.1 this one was closer to the city, in fact the epicenter was in Lyttelton harbour where we live. Also it was shallower apparently, so more damage. Chch was built on a swamp, and now big areas have had liquefaction. Our poor city will take a while to recover. Cheers, Bill