Friday, March 2, 2012

One Year on from the Christchurch Earthquake

Today is Remembrance Day in Christchurch, 22nd February 2012. 

Today, 1 year ago at 12.51pm, an earthquake of 6.3 magnitude, at a depth of a bare 5 km and centred 10 km south-east of the city centre of Christchurch, struck.  This followed the 7.1-magnitude 4 September 2010. 















The effect of the first earthquake was huge as a major earthquake had never occurred ‘under’ the CBD of a major city before.  The September earthquake had the effect of shaking everything, causing deaths, bringing down buildings, primarily of the unreinforced masonry or brick type and shaking to the foundations the local populace. 



 
The February earthquake, 1 year ago today, was more devastating.  It was lower on the Richter scale but much closer to the city, and had a 1.88g ground acceleration, a much more devastating earthquake.  This shake brought down buildings already loosened by the first shake and killed many more people.




 









Then on the 23rd December 2011, two earthquakes or 5.8 and 6.0 struck again.  This time most of the damaged buildings sustained much more damaged and had more of a psychological affect on the populace.  So spare a thought today for all of those who lost their lives or were injured in the Christchurch earthquakes.



















Please remember the people killed in Christchurch over the last two years.


Kevin Warwood

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