OT - Multiple deaths as quake strikes Christchurch

Poor Kiwis have copped another earthquake in Christchurch, this one occuring just a few hours ago with many many dead being reported. The news footage coming live to us in Aus is pretty awful......here's hoping our Kiwi friends are safe.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/22/3145320.htm

[ANonnyMouse]

It's just one thing after another! My mother and my friends are there - it's my hometown. :( Mum is cut and bruised but OK. Her house has fallen down.

Most of my friends are OK as well, but still waiting to hear from a few.

There but for the grace of god.... *sigh* My daughter's father was due to be there later in the week for a course. I'm so grateful he hadn't left yet.

[HVAC]

How awful!

Alex

[supermum_ms]

Australia is focused on our friends in NZ, I'm sure we are all in shock at the level of destruction and as I, hold great fear for those still trapped and injured.

The futage we are seeing is that of terrified faces, and then some simply amazing sights of survival from leveled buildings, how they survived is beyond comprehension. I can only hope there are many many more tales of survival and the inevitable death toll is minimal, we can only hope!

In my thoughts........JJ

[shermay]

Been checking on the BBC website.

I hope that our friends in NZ are OK too.

What is going on with the World these days, so many disasters and fighting.

Debs

[kelly97]

I watched the news coverage of it, here in the US.  
It really is too bad that they can't put out precise warnings for an earthquake and its aftershocks, like they do for flash floods, hurricanes, tornadoes. They typically know that a big one will hit within X amount of years, but that's not really helpful, except to people who are perhaps doing construction or planning of new structures.  It's just all of a sudden, the earthquake happens.

[Ufrustrated2]

truly sorry to hear of the suffering there.

Christchurch is on my bucket list to visit. one of my dear friends just raved about the place.


a lil prayer and a few dollars to www.salvationarmy.org.nz i'll send

[twist330]

My thoughts with you all in NZ.

We have relative over there but they are on north Island.

A terrible thing to have to live through

Twist

[supermum_ms]

A women who is trapped under her desk has been able to make some phone calls, she is still in the 5 story building that now looks like a house of cards, she is still alive and the rescuers know it and are on the hunt to find her and bring her out, I hope they get to her soon. She left a message to her adult son, saying what had happened and that she was trapped and may not make it, it just gutted me, hearing her voice had me in tears.

75 confirmed and 300 (plus) still missing

Yeah a women who was trapped under her desk is just being taken off the building, people are clapping in relief, I hope its her!!!!

In my thoughts..................JJ

[Sparkysarah]

My thoughts and prayers are with all those in Christchurch - yet another horrendous world disaster.  My brother has just left New Zealand (Aukland) with his wife and little girl and I felt relieved that they were not in the south when this happened. I am so sorry to hear about yoru family AnoNymous and hope that they are getting over the terrible shock.

Wishing all the rescuers safe searching and courage to all those who remain trapped.

Sarah x