Nick you ok?

[kiwigeo]

Two big aftershocks today in Christchurch.......5.5 and a 6.0.

Are you ok Nick?

[morgan]

Christchurch is still taking quite a kicking; I'm guessing these would be full-on earthquakes rather than "aftershocks" anywhere else (how is this even decided?).

Please check in Nick whenever you get the chance, hope you and your family are ok.

Nick, Martin, anybody else connected to Chch - I have a small bit of spare cash I'd like to give to help the folks down there but I don't really know where it is best spent - Is the Red Cross the best option or are there any other folks doing a great job but find themselves underfunded that you could personally recommend?

[kiwigeo]

Christchurch is still taking quite a kicking; I'm guessing these would be full-on earthquakes rather than "aftershocks" anywhere else (how is this even decided?).

Please check in Nick whenever you get the chance, hope you and your family are ok.

Nick, Martin, anybody else connected to Chch - I have a small bit of spare cash I'd like to give to help the folks down there but I don't really know where it is best spent - Is the Red Cross the best option or are there any other folks doing a great job but find themselves underfunded that you could personally recommend?

Morgan,

Technically they're aftershocks.....they're on the Greendale Fault or Port Hills Fault or associated fault systems and of lower magnitude than initial quake of Sept 4th. The faults running under and adjacent to Chrischurch are all part of a system of faults...many of them pre-existing but which have been inactive for long periods of time. The Port Hills Fault is unusual in that its a thrust fault with a significant vertical displacement. My guess is that this is a remnant fault associated with the Lyttleton Volcanics that has become reactivated by the local stress regime with the trigger being quakes on the Greendale Fault.

[Nick]

Thanks Morgan, yeah all sweet. House has taken on some new 'features' in the floor topography with these two bastards but it's still hanging in there & upright, dunny's a bit dodgy though.
Getting frustrated at mother nature now though, 10 months of this & just when you think things are quietening down, BANG you get another reasonable one. No loss of life with these two thank goodness, a few injuries but relatively minor but I'm seriously thinking of trading the Commodore in on a speed boat....once again the streets are awash with liquefaction.
It's funny because I can almost pick which fault is the culprit now, as Martin said with the port hills fault the shock is usually quite violent & it jolts alot because of the vertical element but when the Greendale fault goes off it's more of a roller (but not a nice gentle roller!).

[Nick]

Link to the xtra site that has a few pictures of today's episode. A few places Martin might recognise amongst them.
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/news-gallery/a ... tershocks/

[kiwigeo]

Link to the xtra site that has a few pictures of today's episode. A few places Martin might recognise amongst them.
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/news-gallery/a ... tershocks/

Was just texting a friend whos on Kinsey Terrace at Sumner...sounds like the seacliffs are falling apart.

[DarwinStrings]

Getting frustrated at mother nature now though, 10 months of this & just when you think things are quietening down, BANG you get another reasonable one. No loss of life with these two thank goodness, a few injuries but relatively minor but I'm seriously thinking of trading the Commodore in on a speed boat....once again the streets are awash with liquefaction.
It's funny because I can almost pick which fault is the culprit now, as Martin said with the port hills fault the shock is usually quite violent & it jolts alot because of the vertical element but when the Greendale fault goes off it's more of a roller (but not a nice gentle roller!).

The thought bothers me Nick, frightening stuff. Every year around Christmas time the threat of cyclone begins here, we live with it and it is scary but unlike that earth quake business we get warning, we can see it coming miles away. For us it is a matter of sitting and waiting for it to pass and hoping that is does not build up to a serious one and then head directly for our town (or anyone else's). You mob just get hit, out of the blue, you can't make sure you change your undies first so good luck and stay safe, maybe build a door frame over your whole house as being under a door frame seems to be the best you can do other than crossing your fingers.

Jim

[kiwigeo]

Nick, Martin, anybody else connected to Chch - I have a small bit of spare cash I'd like to give to help the folks down there but I don't really know where it is best spent - Is the Red Cross the best option or are there any other folks doing a great job but find themselves underfunded that you could personally recommend?

Sorry Morgan, missed this part of your message. A number of organisations are taking donations for the Christchurch earthquake relief fund. I donated via the ANZ. I believe you can donate via an ANZ branch both here and in NZ. The Salvation Army are also taking donations.


A big thanks for the kind gesture Morgan. If you ever visit Christchurch then let me or Nick know and well make sure you're looked after.

Cheers and thanks Martin

[Kim]

I really feel for the good people of CC. The level of stress they have been forced to endure for these 10 months would be unimaginable as each new shake and tremor leaves behind spades more uncertainty about what tomorrow will bring.

Us humans are a resilient and adaptable lot managing to deal with most challenges remarkable well, but uncertainty is not our forte. This is because uncertainty allows no outlet for stress as 'distraction through action' does through physical intervention when meeting a threat head on like we have been genetically equipped to do. Think what you may about evolution and the so called 'civilization' of us, but there really is a reason for our capacity to look toward the 'club in hand' solution as a 'first' option when we are confronted and it is the hormone adrenaline.

We need that stuff always at the ready for our very survival simply because it is the one thing that can allow each individual to do what would normally be physically impossible for them when required to react in a 'fight or flight' emergency. This is all well and good if going about our day to day lives feeling no pending threat, but when we are forced to live one day to the next with a constant threat in the back of our minds from that which cannot be seen or predicted, the only way that I, that is as one 'without' any medical training, can imagine the human brain could ensure a ready supply of that hormone to deal with that which 'could' happen, would be if it were to simply keep producing it and leaching any excess the body. This I imagine would create a heightened emotional sensitivity within the community as everyone deals with the constant stress of it all.

What I am suggesting here is that regardless of the death and destruction that has occurred within their community, the people of Christchurch would not have been themselves for quite sometime, and this would be impacting every facet of each persons life as they interact with those in their community, work place, AND family. Stoic lot indeed and I can only hold hope in my heart that the earth will stop moving for them soon so they can reintroduce themselves to each other and be strengthened by the common bond that can only come from standing together in the face of adversity.

Regards

Kim

[Nick]

Hmmmmm here's an all-too-familiar event that occured to somebody I knew after the February quake, except she wasn't unconscious, she was in a coma! I wonder if 'unconscious' is the blanket euphemism they use in such cases for when they haven't got a clue as to why the person won't eat their breakfast & appears to be sleeping!
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-storie ... -casualty/

[Lillian]

Thanks for the update Nick. My internet access is limited these days and I couldn't get here to find out what's going on.

Martin, how's your Dad dealing with this last bout of shaking?

[kiwigeo]

Thanks for the update Nick. My internet access is limited these days and I couldn't get here to find out what's going on.

Martin, how's your Dad dealing with this last bout of shaking?

My Dad......when my sister asked him if he'd felt the quakes all he said was "what time is lunch???". His days seem to be spent looking forward to the next meal.....going downhill mentally since I was last over in NZ.

Thanks for asking Lillian

Cheers Martin

[Lillian]

This might be his way of coping with it all. Not the best way, but not the worst by far. It must have been so stressful for him after being sprinted away from his family and his things, not knowing what's going on and to have the aftershocks keep coming. My heart goes out to him and everyone else. I hope his road to recovery is a short one.

[morgan]

Sorry Morgan, missed this part of your message. A number of organisations are taking donations for the Christchurch earthquake relief fund. I donated via the ANZ. I believe you can donate via an ANZ branch both here and in NZ. The Salvation Army are also taking donations.

A big thanks for the kind gesture Morgan. If you ever visit Christchurch then let me or Nick know and well make sure you're looked after.

Cheers and thanks Martin

Finally got to sending some money to ChCh (my life moves at a glacial pace, my lutherie efforts are living proof of that ); best option seemed to be to do it directly via my bank (ASB). My heart goes out to all the folks suffering long term down there with no respite in sight. I've never felt so personally touched by a disaster that is so far away from me physically. Here's to Christhcurch healing and moving on to bright future as soon as possible.

Certainly no need to thank me Martin. I have benefited from the kindness of strangers in the past (including from people on this very board) and understand the joy that even small things can bring when you are a bit broke. Luckily things are better for me now and I'm happy to spread the love. However, I would love to see yourself and Nick in real life at some point if only to ogle your fantastic creations and talk WAS and TAS over beer. Always a welcome on the mat up here for any lutheriers who make it as far as the Bay Of Islands too.

[Nick]

Thanks Morgan, whilst we may not see your donation directly, the gesture & future benefits mean much to the people of wobbly town. You can have the satifaction of knowing you will have been part of getting Christchurch back on it's feet & moving into an exciting future.