Monday 28 February 2011

Christchurch, but not as we know it

I have a rubbish internet connection here from where I am harbouring on the east of Christchurch.

I've been here since Wednesday, the day after the 6.3 quake, number 4,965 since early September. I've felt plently of quakes in the last few days and everytime, you can't but help jumping and wondering what will happen. Just as I started writing this blog post on my mobile phone, another quake rocked the house I'm in, close to Brighton on Beach Road. They freak you out.

Mum's home is a wreak, along with thousands of others that will probably be condemned, 200 alone in the central city area are likely be demolished. I'll take mum out for a drive away from the city today.

I've just got off the phone to Locco on 4CA to share with his listeners my account of how things are unfolding. Around 10% of the population have left town in the last six days. Who knows how many more. The locals are stressed and upset and confused.

Tomorrow it will be a week since Tuesday's quake and there'll be memorials here across the country for the 145 bodies that have been discovered, and the 50 or so still thought to be buried amongst the rubble.

Mum won't be going back to her home for months, it at all.

There's too much uncertainty and nothing is running to normal. It will need more than money to fix up the mess and rebuild the lives of the shattered town. Buildings may be wreaked, but there's so many emotionally damaged by the last five months of disruption. This will take a strong determination and spirit. How anyone will want to go to work in a high-rise in Christchurch, is beyond me. 50,000 work there which is still under lock up.

Kia kaha. Keep strong.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I lived in Los Angeles during the Northridge quake, a larger and more violent quake than in Christchurch. I lived in Osaka during the Kobe quake, a much larger and quake then either of them.

You're little girl whinging about the aftershocks and challenges in rebuilding is getting tired and excessively gay. Suck it up and try to be a man, if not for your blog or your own pride, for your mother.

Shit happens. Build a city on a major earth fault and expect the crappy buildings to be knocked down every few decades. Use the experience to learn and grow. Stop the sniveling.

Anonymous said...

One thing I have learned in my nearly 70yrs on this earth, is that people react to disasters in different ways.
Kiwionos is obviously one who thrives on this sort of thing and can't stand the thought of being considered unmanly. I see nothing wrong in another admitting that they are scared by something outside their control - it takes courage to do that, contrary to Kiwionos opinion.
If Kiwiono doesn't like what he's reading here, how about he doesn't log in in the future? This after all, Mike's blog.

Unknown said...

Oh Dear,

Yet another TROLL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29

Where are the Billy Goats Gruff when you need them

Quien Sabe...via..