Source: [url]http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/09/03/new.zealand.quake/index.html?hpt=T1[/url]
[quote]
A powerful earthquake that struck New Zealand on Saturday caused "a lot of damage," though there are no reports of serious injuries or major damage, an emergency official said. "It was like a freight train running through the house," said Chris Monroe, operations manager for the New Zealand Fire Service.
The quake had a magnitude of 7.0, down from an initial assessment of 7.4, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It struck about 35 miles from Christchurch, a city of about 386,000 people.
An aftershock with a magnitude of 5.7 struck not far from the epicenter about 20 minutes later, the survey said.
Power was out to much of Christchurch "because of extensive damage there," Radio New Zealand reported.
One person said the quake "turned his house upside down, with crockery breaking," the station reported, citing Orion, a power company. Sewer lines and water pipes have ruptured, a company spokesman told the station.
"Structural damage to houses and broken glass have been reported throughout Christchurch," the station said.
A man who was at the international airport in Christchurch described the scene.
"The entire terminal started shaking," he said. "I knew it was an earthquake.There was not much you could do at that point."
Authorities evacuated the airport, he said, adding that he saw minor damage.
"We've just had a terrible earthquake," said Paula May, a Christchurch resident. "We have no power. Lots of stuff in the house is all over the floor. All the power is down, so I can't see anything. There's no power in the town."
She said that in her house, "we've got everything down in the rooms," and that although it appears there are buildings down in the region, such as old stone masonry-type structures, "everyone I know seems to be OK."
Tim Dower, a New Zealand journalist, said it's fortunate the earthquake struck in darkness and not daytime, when people would have been out and about.
"When one of this magnitude comes along, people certainly feel it, particularly when it's shallow," he said.
There have been reports, he said, of facades and buildings collapsing, cars damaged and flooding in homes.
"We don't have any reports of significant injuries at this stage."
A person who answered the phone at the George hotel in Christchurch said that "we are cleaning up at the present moment" but wouldn't disclose any more detail.
Reinier Eulink, general manager of the Holiday Inn in Christchurch, said there's damage around the hotel corridors and "big cracks in the walls."
"It was a big big long jolt, and the building moved a lot," he said. The 13-floor building, with about 150 rooms, was about 40 percent occupied, and he estimated that 80 or more people were staying at the hotel at the time.
Power was knocked out, but emergency power came on. People were milling around in the hotel lobby, trying to get warm during the chilly Southern Hemisphere winter.
"My room is totally upside down," Eulink said.
A Christchurch Hospital shift manager said there are injuries and damage from the quake.
"We are in emergency planning at the moment," he said.
The quake was 7.5 miles deep. It struck at 4:35 a.m. Saturday (12:35 p.m. ET Friday), the survey reported.
The quake is not likely to generate a tsunami, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
[/quote]
Well things are really [B]shaking up[/B] in NZ.
Christchurch?
What the fuck.
[QUOTE=Sickle;24569556]Christchurch?
What the fuck.[/QUOTE]
i heard there were tremors in allahmosque.
lol @ Christchurch
[QUOTE=deloc;24569585]i heard there were tremors in allahmosque.[/QUOTE]
what about [JewishMessiahWhoseNameIDon'tKnow][NameofJewishTemplesThatIForget]
Wait till you learn that there's a hill named Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu in New Zealand.
[QUOTE=Cookies114;24570300]It's 7.4
[IMG]http://web12.twitpic.com/img/156040735-1c31bf549e45f32062e7cb7dacf39d6d.4c814cb8-scaled.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
Jesus christ!
[QUOTE=deloc;24569585]i heard there were tremors in allahmosque.[/QUOTE]
I heard about aftershocks in MosesSynagogue.
Who would've though there'd be a place called christchurch. It's not like Christianity is popular or anything.
RadioNZ played half of "Good Vibrations" before stopping and apologizing.
My grandma lives in Christchurch.
I live in NZ and this is the first I've heard of this
Honestly, with the amount of brothels there it would contradict the words making up the city's name.
On topic, woke up to hear this on the TV this morning, scary shit.
[editline]11:02AM[/editline]
[QUOTE=Hamushka11;24574958]I live in NZ and this is the first I've heard of this[/QUOTE]
Ain't you in Auckland? Prob why you didn't feel it (happened around 4).
Turn on TV1 if you can.
[QUOTE=Mazakrov;24570333]Jesus christ![/QUOTE]
It's an exponential scale so .4 actually makes quite the difference.
My cousin is studying abroad in Christchurch :ohdear:
I'll have to call her and see if she's ok :frown:
[QUOTE=ZekeTwo;24569665]what about [JewishMessiahWhoseNameIDon'tKnow][NameofJewishTemplesThatIForget][/QUOTE]
moses in a grog
Fuck! Not the sheeps!
Not the hobbit holes!
Oh no! The [Obscure Deity that causes earthquakes name here] has struck again!
The middle school i attended was called christ church.
why is everyone havin a sook about the name of the town?
[QUOTE=CivilProtection;24582703]why is everyone havin a sook about the name of the town?[/QUOTE]
Because angsty teen atheists who think they're witty love to attack anything they perceive as being related to religion. When it doesn't have a damn thing to do with it.
In short, welcome to ITN.
I live in Christchurch and this quake was nothing but fun. The media is currently in the process of spreading FUD, pretty much everything is fine.
I felt this in Dunedin, Was on comp at the time and thought It was my friend shaking the table.