NZ friends - check in when you can, please

The  news here just showed the major damage done by the massive earthquake you had - be sure to take whatever steps you can to lessen the stress - I know that is easier said than done when you are in the midst of a natural disaster.

We'll be thinking of you all

be well, be safe,
Lulu

[JemmAus]

Not sure if any will be able to check in if they are in Christchurch, as they have no power, water etc at this point. Also many areas of the city have been evacuated. I am truly amazed that (as far as we can tell) NO ONE has been killed.

here's a couple of kiwi news websites if you want to stay up to date: (not sure which are "quality" and which are "tabloid")

http://www.stuff.co.nz/

http://tvnz.co.nz/

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/

My heart goes out to them, they are wonderful people, kiwis, and it's a gorgeous country.............hope all are ok.

[janbubears]

my heart goes out to all the people in the midst of this disaster

please try and stay safe

love from UK

jan xxxxxxxx

[twopack]

Thanks for the extra info and links Jemm.  

Our friends may not be able to 'hear' our good thoughts and healing wishes for their land at the moment.  But when they are able to return I hope they will be happy to know they were being carried in our hearts during this terrible time.

Mary

[RedFlame]

To those in NZ, I have been thinking about you since I heard of the earthquake.  I am praying that you are all safe, have shelter and food.  Hang on, we are here for you!

Bless all of you

much love,    Red

[JemmAus]

This is good, has updates. Water is back on in most of the city . NZ is such a small country I expect this will be a really huge thing for them.......I hope we Aussies go and help.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/quake-aftermath-live-updates-3760678

[mistylee]

Hi everyone.....Thank you for the kind thoughts.  We now have power on but no water, sewage etc.

The water is contaminated so needs to be boiled and the sewage systems are badely damaged.

We are in shock!!!  We are experiencing many violent after shocks every few mins at the start but now every hour or so.  It was a very scary ordeal and our inside of our house was trashed. Lucky for us a lot of breakables were packed as we are moving house on friday.

We got very little sleep last night for fear of the shocks and we were told to expect another big one.....  The devestation is incredable. Roads buckled, sand blowing up out of the ground, collapsed houses etc.

I am sooooo tired right now. going to sleep for a while.  

Mistylee

[Quixotic1]

My heart and thoughts go out to all of you.  I grew up in Southern California, so have been through many smaller quakes, but nothing like you are suffering through.  

Let us all send calming thoughts to the ground below you.

Quix

[Erin0313]

  I'm always a little late finding out about things- this is the first I heard the news. I can only imagine what you are all feeling over there. How awful!

Mother nature can be a *itch and makes my MS look like a bad cold or something.

Extra prayers and positive thoughts from here. I hope that everyone is safe & thanks for keeping us posted on how you are doing.

Hugs,
Erin :)

[Wobbly]

my goodness, my prayer and thoughts are with you and all..

take care and hope things settle soon
wobbly

[NZer1]

Thank you everyone, We live in the North Island so we are safe. We have children with friends at the University in Christchurch and their was a bit of a panic. Amazing no-one hurt badly. Makes you think, this area is not in the Earthquake zone, and we are in the Hot spot in the North?
Thank you again for you kind thoughts. Nigel

[Sparkysarah]

Just to add my prayers and thoughts to all those already expressed. I cannot imagine what it must have felt like and the shock of something like that must be difficult to explain.

Sending love to all our friends in NZ and keep well.

Sarah x

[michelleislay]

all the best to everyone over there!  

mistylee--how fortunate in an odd kind of way, to have had all of your breakables packed up for this!  

i hope the worst of the aftershocks is now behind you.  what does this mean for your move?  will it still be able to go ahead?  i hope you have LOTS of help to get it all sorted out.  

xo michelle

[figuerpa]

My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to each and every person living in NZ and I hope for a full fast recovery from this disaster with minimal aftershocks. I hope the aftershocks go away rather quick so you can get on with your lives. Keep you head up and keep on striving.

HUGS
Paula

[twist330]

Thinking of all of you. We have family in north island, it makes you really think!

[RedFlame]

Mistylee and Nigel,  

I have been praying since the first quake!!  This has been a terrible frightening quake.  Like Quix I grew up in Cali. so I know earthquakes but never this big.  

Are you getting aid yet from some of the agencies??

xxxxxxooooooo
Red

[mistylee]

We have had over 100 aftershocks so far...a lot of those 4 or 5 on the rictorscale.

They are still happening and some are very violent so it is very unnerving and differcult to get any sleep.

There are over 100,000 damaged houses which is a lot as only about 370,000 people live in christchurch.  We live only 5 kms from the epicentre of the earthquake so we were very fortunate that our home is not damaged.

The fatigue is so bad.....I guess lack of sleep and stress. I hope I don't go down hill again as we are shifting house also on friday and have so much to do.

There is some damage to our new house but luckily only minor.

Thankyou all for your kind thoughts and prayers.  We have the army helping with the cleanup and the authorities have been so good. They were prepared for it so we are very fortunate.

Mistylee

[michelleislay]

i sure hope you can try and squeeze some rest in mistylee!!

thinking of you and cannot fathom how much stress you must have on your plate right now...please vent as much as you can to us in hopes of relieving some of it!!  

thinking of you...

xo michelle

[essdipity]

I have just learned that my niece's daughter is okay. She's an American attending a university in NZ, nearly 200 miles south of Christchurch, where they also felt the effects. But luckily, she was away on spring break with her grandfather (other side of family), far from the scene.

My niece has Skyped with her, thank heaven for that. The internet can be wonderful.

ess

[JemmAus]

Just on the news here now, aftershocks of 6.1+ hitting Christchurch AGAIN.

Hope everyone is ok.........

[JemmAus]

This is so awful, I just read how traumatised the people are. And this was BEFORE this latest aftershock.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/07/3005302.htm


Australia now has a government after 17 days of "no winner". Hopefully now we can go lend a hand, if requested.