More Big Earthquakes Today - What Will Dr Jay Wile Think?

More big earthquakes today, however we are all safe, with very rattled nerves.

As you will know if you have been reading my blog since October, we keep getting these jolly earthquakes over and over again.  I try to keep "light" of these episodes, but today we were truly TRULY scared and in shock that it just keeps happening continually to us all in Christchurch.  No wonder people are leaving the city in droves!  Alf and I, after this afternoon, even mentioned the "T" word.  Mmmmmm.....tenting. We discussed if things do get really bad, we will move into our 3 room tent in the backyard.  Even in the middle of winter.  Residents just don't know what is around the corner from one day to the next.  Houses are taking such a battering from the constant shaking.

You will have to excuse me while I rant and vent, it's been a really stressful day.  Alf is once again away fixing the city's water system as the shakes today have just sent the infrastructure back to broken again.  As Alf is on call for emergencies, he flew out the door this afternoon and will no doubt be away almost all night.

Christchurch suffered through 2 significant earthquakes today.  We were all terrified after the 5.5 that struck at 1pm.  Whilst slowly putting things back in their place, we were all nearly shaken off our feet by a 6.0 earthquake coming at 2.20pm.  This was completely unexpected as the shakes normally subside after each other not increase!
It was all hands on deck to take down everything breakable or fall-able, pick up fallen books and overturned objects strewn on the floors. Luckily Alf was home for the second one, and immediately started bolting and bracing bookcases and dressers to the walls.

To be absolutely honest, we are quite fearful after these ones.  The intensity of the shaking was incredible.  People we know were rocked to the ground and floors where they previously stood.  We have had 7 large shakes since 1pm this afternoon, so are bedding down yet again in the lounge, to wait the night through.  Having a 2 storeyed home is a worry in times like this.

I wonder what Dr Wile will think of these earthquakes.  He is in the city at the moment and will talk tomorrow at our homeschool science conference.  Hopefully there will still be a conference tomorrow, as it's being held in a church in a relatively liquefaction-free part of the city.  I had hopes of us all attending, but Alex is beside himself after today's events, so he will be going around to mum and dad's place to have a quiet day.  Georgia and I will go, just perhaps not the whole day as planned, we will see what the day brings us.  There are over 90 teenagers going, so it should be well worth Georgia going.

Bye for now, blessings, Lee-Anne