At 4.36am Saturday morning NZ time we were awoken by the earth roaring and shaking beneath us, throwing our bed and house back and forth. Above the roar of the quake we could hear, somewhere in the darkness, the sound of things falling and smashing. Our children called out to us and we assured them it would stop. Anna tried to make it to the children's room but the shaking grew and grew and standing upright to walk was difficult. The drill to get somewhere safe like a door frame or crouch down near something solid goes through your mind and you wonder when it will stop. Then it stopped.
Living 20m from the sea our worries did not. Where was the earthquake? We knew it was big and could be close but was it off or on shore, would a Tsunami follow? We called out for everyone to meet in the living room, feeling our way through the darkness. Everyone was fine and unhurt. Elizabeth, age 9, had proved a star getting straight out of her bunk bed and going underneath it when the shaking hit. There is little time to talk about what just happened we feel we needed to act fast.
We grab our 'grab and go' document pack, round up our three children age 9, 8 and 7 along with our 3 dogs and all got straight in the car to head to higher land until we knew it was all clear. Soon we were all huddled round candles at a friends farm house just a few minuets drive away. it wasn't long till aftershocks started coming, some feeling like earthquakes in their own right reaching over 5 5 on the scale, although no where near as strong as the first. As daylight broke neighbours all started gather together or texting to confirm friends and loved ones where safe. Those who still had water checked that others were OK and offered help.
All electricity was out and radios were our link to the outside world and what had happened. A 7.1 earthquake had hit 30km outside Christchurch 10km deep, the largest NZ had experienced in many years. Buildings in town had been badly damaged, water and sewage pipes burst flooding streets in some areas. Most people were left without electricity, running water or sewage. Roads have cracked some lifting up a meter in places and cracks wide and deep enough to fit a leg in.
Living 20m from the sea our worries did not. Where was the earthquake? We knew it was big and could be close but was it off or on shore, would a Tsunami follow? We called out for everyone to meet in the living room, feeling our way through the darkness. Everyone was fine and unhurt. Elizabeth, age 9, had proved a star getting straight out of her bunk bed and going underneath it when the shaking hit. There is little time to talk about what just happened we feel we needed to act fast.
We grab our 'grab and go' document pack, round up our three children age 9, 8 and 7 along with our 3 dogs and all got straight in the car to head to higher land until we knew it was all clear. Soon we were all huddled round candles at a friends farm house just a few minuets drive away. it wasn't long till aftershocks started coming, some feeling like earthquakes in their own right reaching over 5 5 on the scale, although no where near as strong as the first. As daylight broke neighbours all started gather together or texting to confirm friends and loved ones where safe. Those who still had water checked that others were OK and offered help.
All electricity was out and radios were our link to the outside world and what had happened. A 7.1 earthquake had hit 30km outside Christchurch 10km deep, the largest NZ had experienced in many years. Buildings in town had been badly damaged, water and sewage pipes burst flooding streets in some areas. Most people were left without electricity, running water or sewage. Roads have cracked some lifting up a meter in places and cracks wide and deep enough to fit a leg in.
Back where we are our local pub had been servilely damaged with walls and chimneys collapsing leaving us all simple relieved our friends had made it out of their home alive, running as ceilings collapse behind them. It is now Sunday afternoon and aftershocks can still be felt from time to time some barley noticeable, others strong enough to shake homes for a few seconds. About $2billion of damage has been done in the city and there are no go areas where buildings have partly collapsed and are still unsafe we hear it will take a year to rebuild the damaged areas.
Returning to our home at first light we found out house to be standing and without damage. Inside was another story. Our computer desk had collapsed, and TV smashed, broken crockery and glass about the place. the kitchen cupboards had opened allowing their contents to be shaken into the floor smashing some plates and sauce bottles. In other parts of the house bookshelves had spilled their volumes, draws slipped to the floor and pictures still hung but with broken glass and at odd angles. Outside there are cracks in the road and a telegraph pole, still standing just about, leans at a precarious angle.
In the evening we gather with friends at our house round candle light. We cooked baked potatoes in our log fire and chili as we are luckily enough to have gas. We also have tank water as we are not on main supply leaving us feeling quite prepared. The children sat and talked about their experiences together debriefing as they went and the adults did the same over a nerve settling drink.
As bedtime came the children were worried about aftershocks in the night so we all slept in the living room. Much needed sleep was disturbed a couple of times by aftershocks shaking us from our slumber and causing the children too jump in beside us, but the danger had passed. Mid Sunday morning the electricity came on to grateful cheers and the clear up began. As I sit here writing this another aftershock has just trembled through the ground and shaken the stool where I sit. You can hear them just a brief moment before you feel them, the groaning of the earth as it shifts and settles itself back down even the birds stop singing to leave an strange silence for a moment.
It was an experience and scary during the moment. However we are thankful to God that we are all safe, to be part of a community that pulls together and supports each other and a house that is built on good foundations.
Returning to our home at first light we found out house to be standing and without damage. Inside was another story. Our computer desk had collapsed, and TV smashed, broken crockery and glass about the place. the kitchen cupboards had opened allowing their contents to be shaken into the floor smashing some plates and sauce bottles. In other parts of the house bookshelves had spilled their volumes, draws slipped to the floor and pictures still hung but with broken glass and at odd angles. Outside there are cracks in the road and a telegraph pole, still standing just about, leans at a precarious angle.
In the evening we gather with friends at our house round candle light. We cooked baked potatoes in our log fire and chili as we are luckily enough to have gas. We also have tank water as we are not on main supply leaving us feeling quite prepared. The children sat and talked about their experiences together debriefing as they went and the adults did the same over a nerve settling drink.
As bedtime came the children were worried about aftershocks in the night so we all slept in the living room. Much needed sleep was disturbed a couple of times by aftershocks shaking us from our slumber and causing the children too jump in beside us, but the danger had passed. Mid Sunday morning the electricity came on to grateful cheers and the clear up began. As I sit here writing this another aftershock has just trembled through the ground and shaken the stool where I sit. You can hear them just a brief moment before you feel them, the groaning of the earth as it shifts and settles itself back down even the birds stop singing to leave an strange silence for a moment.
It was an experience and scary during the moment. However we are thankful to God that we are all safe, to be part of a community that pulls together and supports each other and a house that is built on good foundations.
It is now Monday morning and we still getting aftershocks but they aren't too bad. The children are very happy it has got them two days off school and we plan to spend the time as a family.
