ChCh Quake Again! (Full/Completed)

[jaybelnz]

Mal - you are providing a very clear picture of the courage and fortitude which is being so truly shown by the people of Christchurch.

Also you are paying a great tribute to wonderful people from places far and near that are there beside them  through this past week of devastation and great sadness!  

I have chosen to watch very little of the television reporting - I find it very difficult to cope with the personal intrusion and public observation of injury and of individual heartbreak. That in no way lessens my compassion for what is happening for the people of Christchurch, their families and their friends.

I have the greatest respect and admiration for all the rescue and service organisations, agencies, Council etc. etc., and the incredibly difficult work they are doing.  You are all heroes!

Thank You Mal!
Jeanne

[genjen]

Mal,
Another superb piece of descriptive writing. You are telling us so much more than the television news - over here in the UK, it slipped from headlines down to about fourth in the order of precedence yesterday. Today, I shall almost certainly have to rely on the people like you and online access to NZ newspapers.

Jen

[percy porter]

probably your best source of information and certainly the most accurate would be
here http://www.radionz.co.nz/news or you can click on the 'listen live' National Program link


Alan NZ

[aniph]

The spirit here is amazing. We loaded up with boxes of fruit and baking and decided to try New Brighton because we thought they were fairly trashed, though they weren't.

Found the water pick up point manned by the army/police who were great guys. Opened the van and asked people if they would like some fruit, they were so pleased. Got 2 hugs in a minute which made me tear up.

Looked at our block of flats, still standing amazingly! Tenants all ok

Got back to Rangiora to hear they had closed the refugee centre at Cowles Stadium and were busing people out here.

Went to see what we could do, centre was ok but they were asking for hot food that they were helicoping into needed areas at 6pm. Now that is clever, something warm on a cold night!

We rushed home for an hour and cooked what we could - nice soup and nachos.

Felt useful for a change

Annie

[Tephra]

Good for you, Annie............. wish we could do something here   

[deeiluka]

The tyranny of distance!   
Felt the same during Queensland's floods....... 

Good for you, Annie.....   

[nanny jan]

Annie it all helps............the fruit, baking, soup and nachos would have been very welcome.  

[aniph]

It was just lovely to see, all these cars pulling up at the centre and saying what do you need?

NZ'ers (and Aussies) sure pull together, I'm so proud to be one of them.

[LoneyBones]

Your words tell a very descriptive story Mal, thank you.
The Courier Mail (Qld Daily paper) had a cartoon yesterday...the day before, showing a kangaroo with it's arm around a kiwi bird as they  looked at the devestated cathedral. Another story, needing no words.
It has occured to me though, listening to Kiwis on the radio and reading the newspapers, that you lot are far more down to earth than we are over the ditch. During the Brisbane floods there were reports of "fatalities" "deceased" and other acronyms. While you lot simply call a spade a spade and say there have been "deaths". I think we've become a woosy lot, so politically correct.
Except for all us family historians of course, we go out of our way to find out who got born, who got  married and who died.