Christchurch Hospital Chimney

During the June 13th 6.4 earthquake, when we got two large ones in quick succession in one afternoon, I was in my car, at the cordon fence, driving down St Asaph St towards the hospital.  One of the main things that worried me after I checked a parapet wasn't going to crash down on us all, was the violent sideways swaying of the hospital chimney further ahead down the road... belching out smoke and flexing in the waves.

So tonight I wasn't really surprised to read this...

Christchurch Hospital staff working near the site's chimney stack have been evacuated after an engineer found a problem in the structure's reinforcement.

Canterbury District Health Board chief executive David Meates said staff were moved from their offices and workshops as a precautionary measure after a problem was found in the steel reinforcing inside the chimney stack.

The problem was found during a routine check by an engineer today.

Further tests were due to be carried out tomorrow to determine whether the chimney's stability had been affected, said Meates.

"Until that time, the area has been cordoned, and St Asaph and Antigua streets are closed in the vicinity of the chimney stack," he said.

Traffic diversions were in place.

The 44-year-old chimney, which services the hospital's coal-fired boiler, was damaged in the September quake and needed extensive repairs.

The boiler is still operating.

Those staff affected included security, site redevelopment, clinical engineering and maintenance and engineering, he said.

Christchurch police warned the public to avoid the area, with traffic delays likely.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5237734/Chimney-stack-risk-triggers-evacuation

One of the main fears we all have is the earthquake life of our buildings... and we rely heavily on a busy band of engineers to check buildings, repeatedly.  I am pleased they have checked this chimney - it is huge and would cause a lot of damage if it toppled.

The only picture I can find of it is at Mark from Wozawanderer's Site..

Hospital Chimney

This picture is from this entry
http://wozawanderer.blogspot.com/2011/03/christchurch-quake-zone-1-cordon-best.html

Mark is doing a fantastic job of capturing the city post-quake - do visit him and have a look at his painstaking recordings of the suburbs. He usually writes his notes first, then goes back to add pictures, so I pop in regularly.

They had a 6.5 earthquake in Taupo tonight.... 150km deep but felt over a large area.
We have been remarkably quiet - which makes us edgy as we feel it means another big one :(
Small and regular is bearable really - sudden and large not nearly so much fun!

PS - found a better picture of the view I had from the car...

Christchurch Hospital Chimney

During the June 13th 6.4 earthquake, when we got two large ones in quick succession in one afternoon, I was in my car, at the cordon fence, driving down St Asaph St towards the hospital.  One of the main things that worried me after I checked a parapet wasn't going to crash down on us all, was the violent sideways swaying of the hospital chimney further ahead down the road... belching out smoke and flexing in the waves.

So tonight I wasn't really surprised to read this...

Christchurch Hospital staff working near the site's chimney stack have been evacuated after an engineer found a problem in the structure's reinforcement.

Canterbury District Health Board chief executive David Meates said staff were moved from their offices and workshops as a precautionary measure after a problem was found in the steel reinforcing inside the chimney stack.

The problem was found during a routine check by an engineer today.

Further tests were due to be carried out tomorrow to determine whether the chimney's stability had been affected, said Meates.

"Until that time, the area has been cordoned, and St Asaph and Antigua streets are closed in the vicinity of the chimney stack," he said.

Traffic diversions were in place.

The 44-year-old chimney, which services the hospital's coal-fired boiler, was damaged in the September quake and needed extensive repairs.

The boiler is still operating.

Those staff affected included security, site redevelopment, clinical engineering and maintenance and engineering, he said.

Christchurch police warned the public to avoid the area, with traffic delays likely.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5237734/Chimney-stack-risk-triggers-evacuation

One of the main fears we all have is the earthquake life of our buildings... and we rely heavily on a busy band of engineers to check buildings, repeatedly.  I am pleased they have checked this chimney - it is huge and would cause a lot of damage if it toppled.

The only picture I can find of it is at Mark from Wozawanderer's Site..

Hospital Chimney

This picture is from this entry
http://wozawanderer.blogspot.com/2011/03/christchurch-quake-zone-1-cordon-best.html

Mark is doing a fantastic job of capturing the city post-quake - do visit him and have a look at his painstaking recordings of the suburbs. He usually writes his notes first, then goes back to add pictures, so I pop in regularly.

They had a 6.5 earthquake in Taupo tonight.... 150km deep but felt over a large area.
We have been remarkably quiet - which makes us edgy as we feel it means another big one :(
Small and regular is bearable really - sudden and large not nearly so much fun!

PS - found a better picture of the view I had from the car...

Christchurch Zones

Christchurch has a new zoning system. As well as the current, cordoned, central red zone, the no go danger do not advance beyond this point part, we now get to live in a new red, orange, white or green zone.

As someone says, quakeopoly..... and as usual, there is some humour to be found in this Zone Guide.

And then there is the more serious side... as people in these zones try to fathom what on earth this is going to mean to their futures, here, or elsewhere.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/columnists/5195541/Dreamtime-fuels-old-timer-as-he-survives-life-in-the-the-freezer

Orange, red, white and green - in the good old days they were simply colours or Cluedo characters.

Now they have become statements about people's lives. When I hear people, myself included, ask others, "What colour are you?" it sounds impolite, discriminatory even.

Kermit the Frog sang a song about how it wasn't easy being green, and I find myself feeling guilty that I'm living in a rented green-zoned house, which means it's in the "go" zone. For the orange people in the "hold" zone their lives remain in limbo waiting like that unfortunate character Winnie in Samuel Beckett's play Happy Days, as she becomes buried in a mound of dirt.

Sick and tired of being given the mushroom treatment and left in the dark for months by Cera, at last those in the red zone have been offered a deal, but one doesn't envy them buying land off greedy developers, borrowing heavily from the banks to afford land in the west, and the battle with insurance companies over the ghastly fine print....... 

Later, I trawl back through sent and received messages on my cellphone going back for the past few months and see R U OK? writ large a million times over.

It's a wonder that this cut to the chase question, which says it all, hasn't wound up emblazoned across T-shirts.

In some ways life is fine. We are "green". We R OK. We will continue and find resilience and make the most of what we have and look for replacements for what we have lost. On other days, the enormity of the changes and the uncertainty about the future and the ongoing shakes and the impact the event is having on friends, students, strangers; the constant feeling of loss as I see another building gone, the view changed somehow, somewhere, and the uncertainty of what is open, working, moved, gone, all feels quite overwhelming.

It is hard to write about. But it is happening.... no one here can be unaffected but the best bit is we are all in that space... we find common ground with others instantly... asking where were you in the 7.4, 6.3's etc breaks down many barriers!

For a real map of the city and the zones, and their colour coded meaning, go to http://www.cera.govt.nz/
or here

There is a great interactive map too;
http://www.rebuildchristchurch.co.nz/blog/2011/6/the-land-map-zones

Christchurch Zones

Christchurch has a new zoning system. As well as the current, cordoned, central red zone, the no go danger do not advance beyond this point part, we now get to live in a new red, orange, white or green zone.

As someone says, quakeopoly..... and as usual, there is some humour to be found in this Zone Guide.

And then there is the more serious side... as people in these zones try to fathom what on earth this is going to mean to their futures, here, or elsewhere.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/columnists/5195541/Dreamtime-fuels-old-timer-as-he-survives-life-in-the-the-freezer

Orange, red, white and green - in the good old days they were simply colours or Cluedo characters.

Now they have become statements about people's lives. When I hear people, myself included, ask others, "What colour are you?" it sounds impolite, discriminatory even.

Kermit the Frog sang a song about how it wasn't easy being green, and I find myself feeling guilty that I'm living in a rented green-zoned house, which means it's in the "go" zone. For the orange people in the "hold" zone their lives remain in limbo waiting like that unfortunate character Winnie in Samuel Beckett's play Happy Days, as she becomes buried in a mound of dirt.

Sick and tired of being given the mushroom treatment and left in the dark for months by Cera, at last those in the red zone have been offered a deal, but one doesn't envy them buying land off greedy developers, borrowing heavily from the banks to afford land in the west, and the battle with insurance companies over the ghastly fine print....... 

Later, I trawl back through sent and received messages on my cellphone going back for the past few months and see R U OK? writ large a million times over.

It's a wonder that this cut to the chase question, which says it all, hasn't wound up emblazoned across T-shirts.

In some ways life is fine. We are "green". We R OK. We will continue and find resilience and make the most of what we have and look for replacements for what we have lost. On other days, the enormity of the changes and the uncertainty about the future and the ongoing shakes and the impact the event is having on friends, students, strangers; the constant feeling of loss as I see another building gone, the view changed somehow, somewhere, and the uncertainty of what is open, working, moved, gone, all feels quite overwhelming.

It is hard to write about. But it is happening.... no one here can be unaffected but the best bit is we are all in that space... we find common ground with others instantly... asking where were you in the 7.4, 6.3's etc breaks down many barriers!

For a real map of the city and the zones, and their colour coded meaning, go to http://www.cera.govt.nz/
or here

There is a great interactive map too;
http://www.rebuildchristchurch.co.nz/blog/2011/6/the-land-map-zones

Quake Brain

Work was closed to students again for the week after the 5.7 and 6.3 double earthquakes last Monday.  Staff were back up there on Thurs and Friday to clean up again but the office was not as bad as after February - although another request has gone off to get the filing cabinets secured to the wall!   Classes return on Monday, but I am meant to be heading up to Hamilton for the Veterinary Conference. It was originally planned to be held here in Christchurch, but like many other things, this won't be possible for a couple of years at the earliest, assuming people feel safe to return then.  Sadly the busy Convention Centre and Town Hall are both badly damaged and 150 people have been made redundant as a result. My partner amongst them.  He has been getting some work until now, and has some other part time work, but like most people here, we are not planning any major expenses, holidays or purchases. 

My journey on Monday will be at the whim of the airlines. Luckily I am booked with Air New Zealand who seem more inclined than the others to alter flight plans and to fly below the ash cloud from the Chilean Volcano, so we might actually take off. The irony of not being able to leave the earthquake zone because of a volcano erupting is not lost on us... and I can't say I am looking forward to flying in volcanic ash either!  Hmm fly in the ash, or return to work on fourth floor .... It also took me an hour to search through the computer for the flight booking confirmation.  For a while I thought the email request had gone astray in the February earthquake and I was going to be staying home because no one had actually booked me a flight! 

I decided to start packing at lunchtime today as we have a busy day of visitors and birthday parties here tomorrow.  Making a mental checklist in the morning, I realised a lot of my winter clothes were still in storage in a suitcase, so packing immediately became an exercise in exploring all these "new" clothes and tidying the wardrobe as well. The bed disappeared in a mound of riotous, black winter clothes while I sorted out a range of suitable attire for meetings and traveling and gala dinners. As most women know this also means checking it all fits....  is clean, coordinated and accessorised. Scott looked bewildered as he tried to keep track of the options; which heels, boots, scarf, skirt, trousers, jacket? ...... all so different from his packing which would involve one outfit for a week if he had his own way.  Finally, it was all contained into one case, and although I have not met the goal of one small carry on piece of luggage so recommended, I have at least whittled it all down to a manageable amount. By late afternoon we were  headed off to get the food for tomorrows party at the shops. 

So far so good.  Finally relaxing late this evening I decided to check out the hotel online... what is the room like; and does it have a hairdryer! A quick look at the confirmation booking letter to see what it was called and I realised I am only booked in for three nights, not four and of course the reception area is now closed and the booking online form shows there are only two-bedroom suites left for the final night.  Have left them a message, and sent them an email and imagine they might manage one of these rooms, at a cost... and if not, I will be casting around for an alternative hotel. I might need one anyway if the ash cloud returns as sleeping at Hamilton airport while waiting for a plane home doesn't appeal much either. 

As we cope with continued quakes, (7350 and counting) many of them quite sudden and unpleasant, but mainly the mid to high 4's, the thing I notice the most is that it takes us all a bit longer to do things and ift is really hard to stay focused. We get there, eventually. Just got to allow for this current quake brain and accept that mistakes happen, and things won't happen overnight, but they will happen.

Quake Brain

Work was closed to students again for the week after the 5.7 and 6.3 double earthquakes last Monday.  Staff were back up there on Thurs and Friday to clean up again but the office was not as bad as after February - although another request has gone off to get the filing cabinets secured to the wall!   Classes return on Monday, but I am meant to be heading up to Hamilton for the Veterinary Conference. It was originally planned to be held here in Christchurch, but like many other things, this won't be possible for a couple of years at the earliest, assuming people feel safe to return then.  Sadly the busy Convention Centre and Town Hall are both badly damaged and 150 people have been made redundant as a result. My partner amongst them.  He has been getting some work until now, and has some other part time work, but like most people here, we are not planning any major expenses, holidays or purchases. 

My journey on Monday will be at the whim of the airlines. Luckily I am booked with Air New Zealand who seem more inclined than the others to alter flight plans and to fly below the ash cloud from the Chilean Volcano, so we might actually take off. The irony of not being able to leave the earthquake zone because of a volcano erupting is not lost on us... and I can't say I am looking forward to flying in volcanic ash either!  Hmm fly in the ash, or return to work on fourth floor .... It also took me an hour to search through the computer for the flight booking confirmation.  For a while I thought the email request had gone astray in the February earthquake and I was going to be staying home because no one had actually booked me a flight! 

I decided to start packing at lunchtime today as we have a busy day of visitors and birthday parties here tomorrow.  Making a mental checklist in the morning, I realised a lot of my winter clothes were still in storage in a suitcase, so packing immediately became an exercise in exploring all these "new" clothes and tidying the wardrobe as well. The bed disappeared in a mound of riotous, black winter clothes while I sorted out a range of suitable attire for meetings and traveling and gala dinners. As most women know this also means checking it all fits....  is clean, coordinated and accessorised. Scott looked bewildered as he tried to keep track of the options; which heels, boots, scarf, skirt, trousers, jacket? ...... all so different from his packing which would involve one outfit for a week if he had his own way.  Finally, it was all contained into one case, and although I have not met the goal of one small carry on piece of luggage so recommended, I have at least whittled it all down to a manageable amount. By late afternoon we were  headed off to get the food for tomorrows party at the shops. 

So far so good.  Finally relaxing late this evening I decided to check out the hotel online... what is the room like; and does it have a hairdryer! A quick look at the confirmation booking letter to see what it was called and I realised I am only booked in for three nights, not four and of course the reception area is now closed and the booking online form shows there are only two-bedroom suites left for the final night.  Have left them a message, and sent them an email and imagine they might manage one of these rooms, at a cost... and if not, I will be casting around for an alternative hotel. I might need one anyway if the ash cloud returns as sleeping at Hamilton airport while waiting for a plane home doesn't appeal much either. 

As we cope with continued quakes, (7350 and counting) many of them quite sudden and unpleasant, but mainly the mid to high 4's, the thing I notice the most is that it takes us all a bit longer to do things and ift is really hard to stay focused. We get there, eventually. Just got to allow for this current quake brain and accept that mistakes happen, and things won't happen overnight, but they will happen.

Aerial footage and a quick update

via stuff.co.nz

All so sad.
Many smaller shocks overnight, but a break for nearly six hours to let us sleep a little more peacfully. Generally we sleep through the smaller ones, but most people woke to the larger 5.0 at dawn. Not that we do much - takes more than those to make us rush for doorways now, but it does put you on alert .
We cleaned up Monday night - and yesterday managed to buy some brackets for the bookshelves. Not sure they will help as my friends brackets just tore the wall out... personally I think we should just pack it all into boxes and leave the shelving empty... and today I started taking more pictures down. Feels a bit like giving up.
We lost a huge fish tank at work and although able to save the fish, it created a mess. It has been cleared tpday - tomorrow we start again on the offices and classrooms, but the students will not return until Monday, so I am retimetabling, again. I know it is hugely stressful for them, and the staff, but there is not a lot we can do but adapt. There is still time to complete all of it.
We are one of the lucky ones. We have power and water and a home. They are putting in a heat pump today to replace our broken chimney which will be a step forward. Mainly we are just tired, more than a little stressed, not sure what the ground has in store for us, what impact it will continue to have on the city, let alone individuals and their homes.
Lots of positive thoughts and community support... but a lot mroe needed to ensure the well being of those most badly affected in the flooding and cold.
Overall I still feel better today than I did last on this day last year .

Posted via email from Four Paws and Whiskers

Aerial footage and a quick update

via stuff.co.nz

All so sad.
Many smaller shocks overnight, but a break for nearly six hours to let us sleep a little more peacfully. Generally we sleep through the smaller ones, but most people woke to the larger 5.0 at dawn. Not that we do much - takes more than those to make us rush for doorways now, but it does put you on alert .
We cleaned up Monday night - and yesterday managed to buy some brackets for the bookshelves. Not sure they will help as my friends brackets just tore the wall out... personally I think we should just pack it all into boxes and leave the shelving empty... and today I started taking more pictures down. Feels a bit like giving up.
We lost a huge fish tank at work and although able to save the fish, it created a mess. It has been cleared tpday - tomorrow we start again on the offices and classrooms, but the students will not return until Monday, so I am retimetabling, again. I know it is hugely stressful for them, and the staff, but there is not a lot we can do but adapt. There is still time to complete all of it.
We are one of the lucky ones. We have power and water and a home. They are putting in a heat pump today to replace our broken chimney which will be a step forward. Mainly we are just tired, more than a little stressed, not sure what the ground has in store for us, what impact it will continue to have on the city, let alone individuals and their homes.
Lots of positive thoughts and community support... but a lot mroe needed to ensure the well being of those most badly affected in the flooding and cold.
Overall I still feel better today than I did last on this day last year .

Posted via email from Four Paws and Whiskers

How was your last 24 hours? Even your last year?

Click to enlarge it further ...

This screenshot is taken from http://quake.crowe.co.nz/ on 14th June.

We have had 57 earthquakes in Christchurch in the last 24 hours.....

Last shake #6812 was Magnitude 3.8 (III) at 8.78 km at 8:52am, about 1 hr 6 mins ago
Yes you read that right - Six thousand eight hundred and twelve quakes.

Apparently the total energy released to date is 3.36773 petajoules. The Sept quake was 2.7645 petajoules, and contributed 82% of the energy - hard to imagine.  (1petajoule is equivalent to 238 kilotonnes of TNT.)
You can look at that at http://quake.crowe.co.nz/QuakeEnergy/

Good video can be seen on the NZ Herald site

Having a quiet day and in some ways I am very glad to have the day off.  I wasn't going to ask for it off,  but this does allow me to spend the day at home with some of the family. Today, this afternoon, it is the anniversary of Arch's death on the Mt Hutt Rd.  We didn't hear about it until the following morning, when the police arrived.  Between the impact of earthquakes and the inquest in the middle, the year has been one we will never forget. I can't believe he never even got to feel the first earthquake, even though he lived near the epicentre. In some ways I probably haven't accepted he isn't out there still, just doing his own thing and hanging out with the kids.  We have three of their birthdays to celebrate this week - the first last weekend and two this weekend.   

He may have gone, but he certainly lives on in them.

First birthday last Sunday- laughing at old pictures of them all.

You can read back at these links.

http://fourpawsandwhiskers.blogspot.com/2010/06/tragic-day-loss-of-arch-richardson-1949.html

http://fourpawsandwhiskers.blogspot.com/2010/09/arch-12949-14610.html

Four Paws and Whiskers: The seatbelt issue.... http://t.co/J5r6VYL

How was your last 24 hours? Even your last year?

Click to enlarge it further ...

This screenshot is taken from http://quake.crowe.co.nz/ on 14th June.

We have had 57 earthquakes in Christchurch in the last 24 hours.....

Last shake #6812 was Magnitude 3.8 (III) at 8.78 km at 8:52am, about 1 hr 6 mins ago
Yes you read that right - Six thousand eight hundred and twelve quakes.

Apparently the total energy released to date is 3.36773 petajoules. The Sept quake was 2.7645 petajoules, and contributed 82% of the energy - hard to imagine.  (1petajoule is equivalent to 238 kilotonnes of TNT.)
You can look at that at http://quake.crowe.co.nz/QuakeEnergy/

Good video can be seen on the NZ Herald site

Having a quiet day and in some ways I am very glad to have the day off.  I wasn't going to ask for it off,  but this does allow me to spend the day at home with some of the family. Today, this afternoon, it is the anniversary of Arch's death on the Mt Hutt Rd.  We didn't hear about it until the following morning, when the police arrived.  Between the impact of earthquakes and the inquest in the middle, the year has been one we will never forget. I can't believe he never even got to feel the first earthquake, even though he lived near the epicentre. In some ways I probably haven't accepted he isn't out there still, just doing his own thing and hanging out with the kids.  We have three of their birthdays to celebrate this week - the first last weekend and two this weekend.   

He may have gone, but he certainly lives on in them.

First birthday last Sunday- laughing at old pictures of them all.

You can read back at these links.

http://fourpawsandwhiskers.blogspot.com/2010/06/tragic-day-loss-of-arch-richardson-1949.html

http://fourpawsandwhiskers.blogspot.com/2010/09/arch-12949-14610.html

Four Paws and Whiskers: The seatbelt issue.... http://t.co/J5r6VYL

Deja Vu...

Today I stopped on the way to work, despite running late, to fill up my car... I hate it being on empty and have made an effort not to run it down that far since the last quake... and felt strongly enough about it to do something! So, the "been here before" feeling today when the 5.5 quake hit us at work was just another part of the routine.  I remember being glad I had petrol to get home.... It hit when I was back in the office after class; the same place as the last Feb quake... same full bladder! This time we managed to lurch across the room, hold down the filing cabinets that they still have not secured for us, and surf the rolling floor near the doorway - not even time to think about the risk of collapsing buildings. As soon as it stopped, like a well oiled machine we grabbed handbags, unclipped Poppy, and this time, I grabbed the laptop, cords and bag, heading downstairs with them all under the arm, not stopping to put them in the bag until well clear of the building.

Following safety instructions, we all gathered in the front area car park, until the site was cleared for re-entry...  a quick vote from the class, who had not been up there for the last big quake and were just as keen to escape, and we decided to leave for the day.  My partner arrived after being at the top of the CBS arena when it hit. After a restorative coffee and toilet stop across the road, we all went our separate ways. Life seemed to be returning to normal. I was sitting at the cordon fence of the red zone in St Asaph St, at the Colombo St corner where the buses were crushed last time, when the 6.0 hit.  A Mercalli 8... rubble started falling round me from the already collapsed buildings on the corner and the car moved all over the road.  Eventually, I drove on slowly along the road, people pouring out of the offices.  Always been my own nightmare to be trapped in the road when it happens with buildings falling beside me (along with lifts, collapsed staircases, collapsed buildings.....). I managed to get up Montreal St,  with Cranmer Square closed off, winding round Park Avenue and up to St Albans, where the liquefaction was back. Hello rutted, flooded roads full of holes and piles of glistening sand volcanoes.  After checking on my friend, my partner arrived again; we headed home.

We lost some fish... no one was home to rescue them.... for some reason they jumped out of the tank! along with many gallons of water.  Amazingly the lamp still works, back on top of the tank...

The books went again....  and most of the pantry, shelves and lots of pictures and plants. We have sorted what we can.

So, work is closed tomorrow. My family are all safe... and the house, although messy, and initially without power, is returning to normal and we are at least warm, unlike 50,000 households tonight in freezing weather. We have the generator still ready to go, as we ran it, but turned it off when the power returned. We have the main gas fire on, and the portable one ready to go if the power goes off. 

Jessie, our older dog, was fine - home alone and scared and trapped in a bedroom but not injured. Poppy seems fine after her adventures.
I don't know what it all means for the city or the future.
Everyone is frustrated after 10 months of this.
Another setback to our home. Thank you for all the messages and concern.  The land continues to shake with repeated aftershocks, but they are smaller. Thankfully.... probably another wakeful night.

Keep up with the news at these sites... there are pictures and videos there too.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/5136644/Powerful-earthquakes-rock-Christchurch

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/shaken-christchurch-facing-long-night-without-power-4223992

Stay Strong.

Deja Vu...

Today I stopped on the way to work, despite running late, to fill up my car... I hate it being on empty and have made an effort not to run it down that far since the last quake... and felt strongly enough about it to do something! So, the "been here before" feeling today when the 5.5 quake hit us at work was just another part of the routine.  I remember being glad I had petrol to get home.... It hit when I was back in the office after class; the same place as the last Feb quake... same full bladder! This time we managed to lurch across the room, hold down the filing cabinets that they still have not secured for us, and surf the rolling floor near the doorway - not even time to think about the risk of collapsing buildings. As soon as it stopped, like a well oiled machine we grabbed handbags, unclipped Poppy, and this time, I grabbed the laptop, cords and bag, heading downstairs with them all under the arm, not stopping to put them in the bag until well clear of the building.

Following safety instructions, we all gathered in the front area car park, until the site was cleared for re-entry...  a quick vote from the class, who had not been up there for the last big quake and were just as keen to escape, and we decided to leave for the day.  My partner arrived after being at the top of the CBS arena when it hit. After a restorative coffee and toilet stop across the road, we all went our separate ways. Life seemed to be returning to normal. I was sitting at the cordon fence of the red zone in St Asaph St, at the Colombo St corner where the buses were crushed last time, when the 6.0 hit.  A Mercalli 8... rubble started falling round me from the already collapsed buildings on the corner and the car moved all over the road.  Eventually, I drove on slowly along the road, people pouring out of the offices.  Always been my own nightmare to be trapped in the road when it happens with buildings falling beside me (along with lifts, collapsed staircases, collapsed buildings.....). I managed to get up Montreal St,  with Cranmer Square closed off, winding round Park Avenue and up to St Albans, where the liquefaction was back. Hello rutted, flooded roads full of holes and piles of glistening sand volcanoes.  After checking on my friend, my partner arrived again; we headed home.

We lost some fish... no one was home to rescue them.... for some reason they jumped out of the tank! along with many gallons of water.  Amazingly the lamp still works, back on top of the tank...

The books went again....  and most of the pantry, shelves and lots of pictures and plants. We have sorted what we can.

So, work is closed tomorrow. My family are all safe... and the house, although messy, and initially without power, is returning to normal and we are at least warm, unlike 50,000 households tonight in freezing weather. We have the generator still ready to go, as we ran it, but turned it off when the power returned. We have the main gas fire on, and the portable one ready to go if the power goes off. 

Jessie, our older dog, was fine - home alone and scared and trapped in a bedroom but not injured. Poppy seems fine after her adventures.
I don't know what it all means for the city or the future.
Everyone is frustrated after 10 months of this.
Another setback to our home. Thank you for all the messages and concern.  The land continues to shake with repeated aftershocks, but they are smaller. Thankfully.... probably another wakeful night.

Keep up with the news at these sites... there are pictures and videos there too.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/5136644/Powerful-earthquakes-rock-Christchurch

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/shaken-christchurch-facing-long-night-without-power-4223992

Stay Strong.

A 5.5 start to the day and a beautiful tribute to pre-earthquake Christchurch

via youtube.com

A rattly start to the day with a 5.5, apparently the sixth biggest since September. This time I just huddled in bed and was glad I wan;t up the tower teaching.
A fellow blogger from Christchurch put me onto this video. http://dutchcorner.blogspot.com/2011/06/55-aftershock.html

It was beautiful... and as we drive around the empty sections in town I have been craving some pictures of what it should look like - scared to forget it all. So as a change from the destruction, and for those who have never had the chance to see Christchurch in her real glory, just take a few minutes to enjoy it.

Posted via email from Four Paws and Whiskers

A 5.5 start to the day and a beautiful tribute to pre-earthquake Christchurch

via youtube.com

A rattly start to the day with a 5.5, apparently the sixth biggest since September. This time I just huddled in bed and was glad I wan;t up the tower teaching.
A fellow blogger from Christchurch put me onto this video. http://dutchcorner.blogspot.com/2011/06/55-aftershock.html

It was beautiful... and as we drive around the empty sections in town I have been craving some pictures of what it should look like - scared to forget it all. So as a change from the destruction, and for those who have never had the chance to see Christchurch in her real glory, just take a few minutes to enjoy it.

Posted via email from Four Paws and Whiskers

Rebuilding of Christchurch - some interesting articles

Some time ago my son sent me a map of Christchurch showing the swamp land the city has been built on.

Here is a snapshot of part of it... the area I live in. (Click on it to enlarge it).  It appears we live on the outer loop of the river between the part marked sand hills and sand... Horse Shoe Lagoon.

The full Canterbury map is available as a pdf file at this link - locals, check out where you live!

Over the weekend, I read about the early 1850's map that showed the branches of our rivers and the tributaries that existed... if these are overlaid over current maps, it helps explains the rather random destruction of buildings in the CBD.  Places built on tributaries and old wetlands are more likely to have fallen, sunk, gone. Sadly,  people no longer knew what was safe ...

Map of Christchurch 1850

I found the map above and the following information at this site today

Christchurch’s earthquake-battered central business district (CBD) should not be rebuilt back to what it was before February 22, one of New Zealand’s leading landscape architects Di Lucas said today.

First, city planners and rebuilders need to better respect the natural under-layers to the city, she said.

Lucas reviewed 1850s maps of Christchurch showing wetlands and streams through the city and was little surprised there was so much damage. Liquefaction mapping was predicted, and has occurred on areas with high water table and estuarine sands, and the existing and former natural levees along watercourses have exploded.

`` Fifty percent of buildings in the CBD will likely disappear because of the earthquake. The old maps show some were built above streams apparent at that time. The 1850 mapping suggests the PGG building which collapsed in February was likely built on a levee of silt. The land surface of Christchurch is deceptive, as it was a dynamic plains system,’’ she said.

``About 15 years ago I observed the native forest that had been smashed and buried by Waimakariri floods beneath the Convention Centre site. It reminded me that there is a ‘club sandwich’ of layers of activity under the city. Whilst solid above, old buried layers have liquefied and been extruded by the earthquakes. The land surface has been lowered as a consequence.’’

For those interested, a really good picture explanation about liquefaction around rivers is on this fact sheet and a full copy can be obtained here - this is one part of it.

I realise we have been lucky with this house as although we live across the road that runs along the banks of a river, we appear to have been on the undamaged side. Houses further along on the river edge on the lower side and also, the inner loop in the original swamp area across the river, have seen their houses and streets ravaged.  We are one of the original farmhouses for the area so the settlers must have built on firmer land at the time - good luck for us, as believe me, like most of us in Christchurch,  the thought of earthquakes was far from my mind when I bought into the house!  The wildlife reserve on the river side across our road is mainly closed - it is badly cracked and slipped - in some places there are narrow crevices that would be over our heads if we fell in.

Some other good article to consider are at these links:

Rebuild up to tree-height: no more than four storeys, says a leading NZ landscape architect

The current City Plan lacks design controls and measures to make the CBD beautiful and sustainable. An urgent change is needed. We don’t want just utilitarian structures. We need a city with the X factor, to attract businesses, workers and visitors. Not again draughty spaces below high-rise and exposed to the easterly; buildings ignoring the solar resource; and, outmoded transport options. We could change it from a tired energy-hungry city to an appealing sustainable garden city.

"This time, we must allow for functioning natural systems; managing rainfall with permeable surfaces; daylighting streams; maximising local materials; greening roofs, and having vegetated public and private spaces forming pleasant micro-climates,’’ said Lucas, a former president of the NZ Institute of Landscape Architects. “Whole street blocks have been mostly destroyed so their layout needs to be re-thought comprehensively to create more appealing urban spaces that showcase cutting-edge design.”

"We need to reorganise spaces and access, with more green areas within a low rise city, using tree canopy – three or four storeys - as a measure. Noosa on the Sunshine Coast formalised their height limits to tree canopy height, and everyone loves that city. You don’t need to see the sea from within the centre, you can sense it, and enjoy the microclimate from a low rise environs.

Rebuild must respect waterways. ( refers to map above)

"It [the map] has the streams on it for the central city, and it's quite a precise layout. It's quite detailed," Lucas said.

When transposed on to the present-day central city, the waterways mirrored some of the areas of worst earthquake damage, she said.

A stream that crossed Manchester St, between Salisbury and Peterborough streets, cut a swath under buildings and the street itself.

"You could plot that line right through all the way," she said.

"There's some very good solid apartments, two or three storeys high, and one block of it has sunk a metre and another block is more or less as it used to be.

"That line continues through the next block and it goes from there and does a drop in Manchester St of a metre."

She said it was "madness" to have intensive building so close to the Avon River on streets such as Fitzgerald Ave.

"They're encroaching and nature has rebelled," Lucas said.

"I think we need to respect the natural systems better."

The new earthquake control system CERA, takes over soon and the national state of emergency can be lifted, some 10 weeks after the quake. Will be interesting to see what happens next...

Meanwhile, I have been thinking of the tornadoes and all the fear for the people in the southern states of America.... another form of random disaster that flattens some areas and not others.  The fear and loss will however have an impact on all around them, particularly when so many have been lost in the path of the storms.
Kia Kaha

Rebuilding of Christchurch - some interesting articles

Some time ago my son sent me a map of Christchurch showing the swamp land the city has been built on.

Here is a snapshot of part of it... the area I live in. (Click on it to enlarge it).  It appears we live on the outer loop of the river between the part marked sand hills and sand... Horse Shoe Lagoon.

The full Canterbury map is available as a pdf file at this link - locals, check out where you live!

Over the weekend, I read about the early 1850's map that showed the branches of our rivers and the tributaries that existed... if these are overlaid over current maps, it helps explains the rather random destruction of buildings in the CBD.  Places built on tributaries and old wetlands are more likely to have fallen, sunk, gone. Sadly,  people no longer knew what was safe ...

Map of Christchurch 1850

I found the map above and the following information at this site today

Christchurch’s earthquake-battered central business district (CBD) should not be rebuilt back to what it was before February 22, one of New Zealand’s leading landscape architects Di Lucas said today.

First, city planners and rebuilders need to better respect the natural under-layers to the city, she said.

Lucas reviewed 1850s maps of Christchurch showing wetlands and streams through the city and was little surprised there was so much damage. Liquefaction mapping was predicted, and has occurred on areas with high water table and estuarine sands, and the existing and former natural levees along watercourses have exploded.

`` Fifty percent of buildings in the CBD will likely disappear because of the earthquake. The old maps show some were built above streams apparent at that time. The 1850 mapping suggests the PGG building which collapsed in February was likely built on a levee of silt. The land surface of Christchurch is deceptive, as it was a dynamic plains system,’’ she said.

``About 15 years ago I observed the native forest that had been smashed and buried by Waimakariri floods beneath the Convention Centre site. It reminded me that there is a ‘club sandwich’ of layers of activity under the city. Whilst solid above, old buried layers have liquefied and been extruded by the earthquakes. The land surface has been lowered as a consequence.’’

For those interested, a really good picture explanation about liquefaction around rivers is on this fact sheet and a full copy can be obtained here - this is one part of it.

I realise we have been lucky with this house as although we live across the road that runs along the banks of a river, we appear to have been on the undamaged side. Houses further along on the river edge on the lower side and also, the inner loop in the original swamp area across the river, have seen their houses and streets ravaged.  We are one of the original farmhouses for the area so the settlers must have built on firmer land at the time - good luck for us, as believe me, like most of us in Christchurch,  the thought of earthquakes was far from my mind when I bought into the house!  The wildlife reserve on the river side across our road is mainly closed - it is badly cracked and slipped - in some places there are narrow crevices that would be over our heads if we fell in.

Some other good article to consider are at these links:

Rebuild up to tree-height: no more than four storeys, says a leading NZ landscape architect

The current City Plan lacks design controls and measures to make the CBD beautiful and sustainable. An urgent change is needed. We don’t want just utilitarian structures. We need a city with the X factor, to attract businesses, workers and visitors. Not again draughty spaces below high-rise and exposed to the easterly; buildings ignoring the solar resource; and, outmoded transport options. We could change it from a tired energy-hungry city to an appealing sustainable garden city.

"This time, we must allow for functioning natural systems; managing rainfall with permeable surfaces; daylighting streams; maximising local materials; greening roofs, and having vegetated public and private spaces forming pleasant micro-climates,’’ said Lucas, a former president of the NZ Institute of Landscape Architects. “Whole street blocks have been mostly destroyed so their layout needs to be re-thought comprehensively to create more appealing urban spaces that showcase cutting-edge design.”

"We need to reorganise spaces and access, with more green areas within a low rise city, using tree canopy – three or four storeys - as a measure. Noosa on the Sunshine Coast formalised their height limits to tree canopy height, and everyone loves that city. You don’t need to see the sea from within the centre, you can sense it, and enjoy the microclimate from a low rise environs.

Rebuild must respect waterways. ( refers to map above)

"It [the map] has the streams on it for the central city, and it's quite a precise layout. It's quite detailed," Lucas said.

When transposed on to the present-day central city, the waterways mirrored some of the areas of worst earthquake damage, she said.

A stream that crossed Manchester St, between Salisbury and Peterborough streets, cut a swath under buildings and the street itself.

"You could plot that line right through all the way," she said.

"There's some very good solid apartments, two or three storeys high, and one block of it has sunk a metre and another block is more or less as it used to be.

"That line continues through the next block and it goes from there and does a drop in Manchester St of a metre."

She said it was "madness" to have intensive building so close to the Avon River on streets such as Fitzgerald Ave.

"They're encroaching and nature has rebelled," Lucas said.

"I think we need to respect the natural systems better."

The new earthquake control system CERA, takes over soon and the national state of emergency can be lifted, some 10 weeks after the quake. Will be interesting to see what happens next...

Meanwhile, I have been thinking of the tornadoes and all the fear for the people in the southern states of America.... another form of random disaster that flattens some areas and not others.  The fear and loss will however have an impact on all around them, particularly when so many have been lost in the path of the storms.
Kia Kaha

Easter in Christchurch and ANZAC Day in Hagley Park

What a glorious weekend.
Four days of sun, relaxation, family and chocolate. What more could you want.
Earthquake? What earthquake.... apart from the usual regular shakes, and there have been a few over the week, we have avoided any actual signs of it in the city and escaped to the west, enjoying the sun and glorious autumn colours.

We really enjoyed the break because we expected there to be bad weather at the weekend and spent hours gardening, painting, clearing gutters and going to the dump. Instead we got sun, well until today when the rain has returned, but enough to feel a real holiday atmosphere. Somehow the earthquake made us all feel cheated and lying about in the sun has not been something we have felt able to do for weeks....

Daddy's girl....

The sleepout. Painted, weeded, gutters cleaned....

Playtime

Today, a local city council member posted on the Earthquake Recovery Pictures site on Facebook these beautiful pictures, taken this weekend, of Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens. Just so you know that much of the beauty we relish about Christchurch still exists, I am putting them here for you too.

The Anzac Day service was held in Hagley Park this morning instead of the usual venue of the square outside the cathedral - which is still in the Inner NO GO red zone.  

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them


Rise up Christchurch
Kia Kaha

Easter in Christchurch and ANZAC Day in Hagley Park

What a glorious weekend.
Four days of sun, relaxation, family and chocolate. What more could you want.
Earthquake? What earthquake.... apart from the usual regular shakes, and there have been a few over the week, we have avoided any actual signs of it in the city and escaped to the west, enjoying the sun and glorious autumn colours.

We really enjoyed the break because we expected there to be bad weather at the weekend and spent hours gardening, painting, clearing gutters and going to the dump. Instead we got sun, well until today when the rain has returned, but enough to feel a real holiday atmosphere. Somehow the earthquake made us all feel cheated and lying about in the sun has not been something we have felt able to do for weeks....

Daddy's girl....

The sleepout. Painted, weeded, gutters cleaned....

Playtime

Today, a local city council member posted on the Earthquake Recovery Pictures site on Facebook these beautiful pictures, taken this weekend, of Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens. Just so you know that much of the beauty we relish about Christchurch still exists, I am putting them here for you too.

The Anzac Day service was held in Hagley Park this morning instead of the usual venue of the square outside the cathedral - which is still in the Inner NO GO red zone.  

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them


Rise up Christchurch
Kia Kaha