Earthquakes, Christchurch Style, Reprised
Yep, this morning I want to reflect on yesterday’s “high 5” earthquake (plus aftershocks: shudders, nasty — or perhaps I mean, nasty shudders!)
Five years ago, we experienced eighteen months of unmitigated awful with the Christchurch earthquakes (from September 2010 to December 2011).
Since then, the earthquakes have never completely died away, but yesterday, for the first time since (I understand) 25 May, 2012, Christchurch experienced a major earthquake. I believe it has now officially been confirmed as 5.7 on the Richter scale — and was followed by a large number (over 40 at last count) of aftershocks, the highest registering at 4.2 (Richter scale.)
The event (or swarm of events) was definitely “interesting”. And a large number of people reported what I also felt, which was shock and frayed nerves — a sign, probably, that we are none of us as recovered from the events of 2010 – 2011 as we might have wanted to believe.
From a personal perspective, it was also “interesting” to be experiencing yet another large earthquake (& aftershock swarm) in a house that—five years on from the February 22nd, 2011, earthquake that did most of the damage—still has not been restored. This is because we still have not been able to resolve our insurance claim with IAG NZ , despite not inconsiderable effort (and expense incurred in trying) to do so.
This is something that I have been thinking is material for this year’s February 22nd commemorative blog — but yesterday’s earthquakes certainly brought it all into focus. So, too, did the widened (existing from 2011) cracks in various places, aka ‘let’s open that up just a little — or even a lot — wider.’
Not what any of us needed, I’m sure — but then, as I also observed on Twitter: “Alas, my preferences were not consulted.” :-/
Didn’t think I’d be writing another actual earthquake report though, as opposed to a commemorative post.
Helen, I’m so sorry that you and Christchurch are going through this again. I know there’s nothing I can do to help, but know that I’m thinking of you.
-Beth
Thank you, Beth — the support of others, even when they are at a distance, does help emotionally and psychologically, I believe.
Yesterday I listened to the news of Christchurch suffering through yet another Earthquake swarm and the pain in peoples voices really got to me. Then I heard interviews with people whose houses are still not fixed 5 years on. Thats when I started to cry. Here in Wellington we look around the hills with the knowing that at any time we could get the BIG one. We feel all the big earthquakes North and South as we are right in the middle. We are so sad and mad for you that you are still putting up with this shoddy insurance situation. And our hearts just grieve for you that you are going through it all again.
Thank you, Maureen. Everyone I have spoken to seems to be similarly unnerved by the whole experience, even if most of us also try to be philosophical: a case of needs must, though, rather than because of any particular Christchurch virtue.
I think the fact that so many repairs have been done to what recent investigations have revealed as being a very shoddy standard, much of it on the taxpayers’ dime, is shameful. The fact that people like us are still trying to get insurance companies to honour their contracts, 5 years on, while companies like IAG NZ, our insurer, are reported as making huge profits in this country, is also an indictment — especially since most people simply can’t afford the only remedy, which is through the courts. Yet an accessible tribunal that could have both heard disputes and arbitrated/mediated disagreements, would seem reasonable to have set up in light of the extraordinary circumstances.
As you can see, I am on my soapbox — but quite aside from the right and wrongs of the Christchurch situation over the past years, events like yesterday are hardly reassuring and certainly make the potential consequences of the wrongs more stark.
Dreadful and appalling. You have every right to be on your soapbox. Huge sympathies.
Thank you, Marion – for the sympathy and the soapbox support.:)
Interestingly, on the day before today’s news of a whopping 90% cut to Christchurch’s mental health services, I experienced my first “shouting nightmare” in several years. (I had them reasonably frequently after the 2011 earthquakes.)
Of course, it could in fact be more to do with the ongoing stress of trying to resolve our insurance claim with IAG NZ than the renewal of earthquake activity — but the point, I suppose, is that these things are very stressful and even when you think you are remaining calm and carrying on, a great deal more may be going on beneath the surface.
Oh, Helen. I felt so, so terrible for you all. Especially when I saw that the liquifaction was back in places. I can’t help thinking this has to have the scientists a bit confounded. I knew aftershocks are always still possible, but this does seem rather excessive. I honestly don’t know how you’re all coping. We had enough aftershocks in the one year we were back down in Christchurch and it was too much for me as it was. I think the break in Aussie just made it worse. It still feels very close to home though.
*big hugs* to you and yours. I hope this is the last shakeup for good. And so sorry to hear about the insurance. I can’t believe they’re still dragging things out this long. It’s just crazy 🙁
Hi Wen, Thank you–I know you well understand what it is all like. From what I understand it’s not that surprising, though, as we are in a period of “heightened earthquake activity”, which means this could happen on and off for years. Not a fun prospect, but apparently on the cards. :-/
As for the insurance: [shrugs] ‘it is what it is’ — but what that is, is not terribly good.