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September 5, 2010
Christchurch, New Zealand is my home town. Over the weekend an earthquake occurred 40 kilometres west of Christchurch with its epicentre 10km south-east of Darfield.
The earthquake caused damage to the city ---- it flattened buildings, opened giant chasms in roads, buckled roads and railway lines and left hundreds homeless. Water has been cut off, petrol stations are closed and farms are without power. My mother is safe and the family house undamaged.
I didn't even know Christchurch was a major earthquake risk or that it was known to be particularly seismically active. Apparently, the earthquake triggered a release of pressure caused by the collision and locking together of the Pacific and Australian plates, which are moving in different directions. Apparently, Christchurch was lucky.
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