To sleep, perchance to dream. Yeah right!

Lets try and sleep... rumble, creak, jolt.
Three adrenaline filled 4.3-4.5 shocks last night. More yesterday. Apparently we have reached 580!
I see from the list that two shakes yesterday affected Kaikoura... we are generous sharing our fun :)

This is a list of the latest thirty New Zealand earthquakes.

• •   
  • Reference Number: 3372700
  • NZST: Thu, Sep 16 2010 5:04 am
  • Magnitude: 3.4
  • Depth: 5 km
  • Details: 20 km west of Christchurch
• •   
  • Reference Number: 3372691
  • NZST: Thu, Sep 16 2010 4:35 am
  • Magnitude: 4.3
  • Depth: 6 km
  • Details: 20 km south-west of Christchurch
• •   
  • Reference Number: 3372661
  • NZST: Thu, Sep 16 2010 3:13 am
  • Magnitude: 4.5
  • Depth: 6 km
  • Details: 20 km south-west of Christchurch
• •   
  • Reference Number: 3372575
  • NZST: Wed, Sep 15 2010 11:23 pm
  • Magnitude: 3.5
  • Depth: 15 km
  • Details: 10 km south-west of Christchurch
• •   
  • Reference Number: 3372561
  • NZST: Wed, Sep 15 2010 10:42 pm
  • Magnitude: 4.4
  • Depth: 8 km
  • Details: 10 km south-west of Christchurch
• •   
  • Reference Number: 3372516
  • NZST: Wed, Sep 15 2010 8:30 pm
  • Magnitude: 4.0
  • Depth: 4 km
  • Details: 10 km south-west of Darfield
• •   
  • Reference Number: 3372484
  • NZST: Wed, Sep 15 2010 6:55 pm
  • Magnitude: 3.5
  • Depth: 5 km
  • Details: 20 km south-west of Darfield
• •   
  • Reference Number: 3372454
  • NZST: Wed, Sep 15 2010 5:38 pm
  • Magnitude: 4.2
  • Depth: 10 km
  • Details: 10 km south-east of Kaikoura
• •   
  • Reference Number: 3372442
  • NZST: Wed, Sep 15 2010 5:01 pm
  • Magnitude: 4.2
  • Depth: 11 km
  • Details: 10 km south-east of Kaikoura

We get lots of helpful advice...

Possible Psychological Reactions to an Earthquake

Ron Chambers & Lee Kannis, Anxiety Disorders Unit, CDHB.

It is understandable given the recent earthquake and ongoing aftershocks that many people may feel anxious and distressed. It is common following a traumatic event for people to experience a range of psychological responses. These may include:

 · Feeling on edge, nervous, or tense.

· Sleep disturbance and nightmares.

· Being easily startled.

· Tearful.

· Swings in emotion, including irritability and sadness.

· Anxiety symptoms like a racing heart, rapid breathing, and trembling.

· Thoughts and memories about the event continuing to pop into your mind, even days afterwards

The earthquake and ongoing after shocks have been a very frightening experience for everyone. What most people are experiencing now is the minds normal response to this extraordinary event.

The insurance companies and the Earthquake commission are busy!

Claim numbers 

Canterbury Earthquake

Local authority	No. of claims
Christchurch city	46,247
Selwyn	4,717
Waimakariri	3,362
Timaru	963
Ashburton	764
Other	837
Total	56,890

As at: 6pm 15 September 2010

A large part of the damage has been to our brick buildings. However, for many people in the city, the liquefaction has been the main mess to clean up, and the reason many houses have sunk and split. There are lots of good photos on this Earthquake Flickr link.

Photo by Jon Sullivan, on Flickr

• For those interested in learning more about liquefaction, this (pre-quake) poster from Environment Canterbury (pdf) gives both general background and a hazard map for the whole region. Certainly explained why some regions have been so much harder hit... 

Really great page here - parts of it are very technical, but good links to many photos and videos. 

Tectonics of the M7 earthquake near Christchurch, New Zealand

Life continues... back at work, tired, but teaching and trying to concentrate. 

Soon, school holidays!

:)