| Earthquake strikes Newzealand | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 4 2010, 03:19 AM (218 Views) | |
| [df]RePublic | Sep 4 2010, 03:19 AM Post #1 |
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Chris Crocker
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The 7.0-magnitude quake rocked New Zealand's South Island for up to a minute about 4.30am. It caused widespread damage and two men have suffered serious injuries, but there have been no reports of deaths. Earthquake Commission chief executive Ian Simpson said the damage bill in the city of 372,600 residents could be as high as $NZ2 billion ($1.6 billion). Buildings were flattened and infrastructure damaged in the quake, which was followed by a series of aftershocks. An official state of emergency was declared by government authorities. Civil Defence officials have asked residents not to flush their toilets, to use water sparingly, not to use their telephones, check on their neighbours, and to stay away from damaged areas while authorities work to restore services and assess buildings. The quake's magnitude was revised downwards from an initial estimate of 7.4 to 7.0 by the US Geological Survey. Experts said the quake, which struck New Zealand's South Island 45km west of Christchurch at a depth of about 5km, was the result of movement within the crust of the Pacific plate. Scientists have described the earthquake as the most significant since the 1931 magnitude 7.8 Hawke's Bay earthquake, the New Zealand Herald reported. One man in his 50s is in a serious condition in intensive care at the Christchurch Hospital after a chimney collapsed on him. Another man, also in his 50s, was seriously injured by falling glass. As many as 1000 residents from Christchurch's seaside suburbs were told to prepare for evacuation with flooding expected due to broken water and sewage pipes. Emergency services rescued 10 people from holes which opened up in the ground due to the shaking, stuff.co.nz reported. According to early estimates about five percent of the buildings in the city centre were damaged. Electricity was cut to 75 per cent of the city, and to all of the rural area around Christchurch in the province of Canterbury. Early reports suggest that the power cut will have a serious impact on the dairy industry, preventing afternoon milking. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is travelling to Christchurch and has pledged government assistance for the region, The Press reported. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q7hzKcON8k cant be embedded
Edited by [df]RePublic, Sep 4 2010, 03:41 AM.
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Being Australian is about driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer, and then travelling home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV. | |
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| Britfag | Sep 4 2010, 03:55 AM Post #2 |
Chris Crocker
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Fawk D: My aunty lives in Christchurch :S |
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| RastaMan | Sep 5 2010, 07:54 PM Post #3 |
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Chris Crocker
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my sister is in Tauranga (north island) and she was saying she was going to the south island in a few weeks... an airplane just blew up there too... hope my sis doesn't get hurt there =P |
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3:52 AM Jul 11