LoCarb

Quite honestly, I wouldn't want to live back in the UK because of the threat of a nuclear war. Not a likely event I know, but a possibility, just like the possibility of dying in a NZ earthquake. I do know Brits who have moved here for that very reason.

garethwm

Draw a line between Tauranga and New Plymouth. Everyone living north of that line dont generally experience earthquakes. Thats about half the population. The fault comes inland around Napier, through Wellington then down through the Southern Alps of the South Island. I dont think Dunedin is a big risk either but not sure.

MOSO

Fortunately for us in the lower north island, most quakes have been like last nights - we were watching tv, is that an earthquake? Oh yeah, it must be because the fish tank water is wobbling. Okay, carry on!

In the 6 years I've been here, I've only had to duck, cover, hold a couple of times (Seddon). Yes they were scary (especially being a teacher in a wobbling classroom responsible for thirty 10 year olds), but certainly not a reason to not live here. The benefits far out way the negatives such as earthquakes. Nowhere is without danger - natural or man-made and New Zealand houses are wooden-framed for a reason!

There was a huge old tree in our garden in the UK that came down in the infamous Michael Fish hurricane. It luckily fell away from the house - so would I not live in the UK because of the possibility of hurricanes and a tree falling on the house - absolutely not. It's the same logic.

janiejones

DH and I were tramping on the Travers Sabine Crossing a few years ago, one that crosses the Alpine fault. At one of the huts, I went to spend a penny. The toilet started shaking and moving, and my immediate thought was that it was an earthquake, and I was going to do an Elvis, and die on the loo. I got out as soon as I could, and realised that it wasn't an earthquake, but the solar powered fan thing at the top of the eco loo. Oops.

Damson

That made me chuckle.

BEVS

Not long after one of the more in your face quakes, I was lazing in bed of a Saturday morning when that rumble sound started and I felt the bed jitter.

I was up out of there and down those stairs faster than a ferret up a trouser leg all bare feet and jamas out on the grass on a shivery winter morning just as Mr BEVs finished shutting the downstairs ranch slider doors.

BEVS

That was always thought about Christchurch. Was known as the safe city.

I think my lightening fast duck , cover and hold days are over. Apparently what the older folk do hereabouts is to simply sit where they are or to stand still and hope to lean against something or to hold onto something , like a work surface.

LauraNotts

Can't really escape the evidence living in Christchurch. I went through a period of having quite a lot of anxiety about them when I first moved here (Timaru 7 months and no quakes - Christchurch 6 months and about 8) but I think now I just try and keep it in perspective.

I do always have in the back of my mind the knowledge that the Alpine Fault will go one day (and maybe soon) but there is nothing I can do about that. The buildings I live and work in survived the highest ground acceleration ever recorded during an earthquake so the likliehood of them collapsing on me is minimal. I just keep food and water around and make sure I know where my exits are in a building.

Wellington scare the heck out of me, all those narrow streets and penned in by hills. Nope.

Justcol

On the plus side, they are now equipped with the knowledge of what to do in an earthquake.

MY kids laughed them off. I dont like seeing kids wrapped in cotton wool that arguement will never carry any weight with me

LauraNotts

Hmmm lucky you not to have felt one. My biggest local was a 4.5 - being jolted awake in the dark with your whole house shaking is not pleasant. Biggest period was Kaikoura's 6.0 - that was unsettling being on my bed and thinking 'is this moving or is it me? Err oh heck!' lovely sharp p waves gave my house a good long rattle even at 150km distant. People experience things in many different ways - try not to assume your reaction and experience is the only correct one.

MrsFychan

I'm guessing most people know what to do in one but as you can see from the video footage of them most people do not do what is suggested. With yourself not having experienced one cannot say what you would do, hopefully as you say your children have, they are fully aware its drop, cover, hold and not run away with the possibility of broken limbs and running into debris.

BEVS

Made me smile. That has been me.

Catchafire

Apparently today is NZ Shake Out Day

Get your wobbles on!

britsinnz

Did they laugh it off Justcol? If so that's great, but never underestimate the impact of earthquakes on children.

The following is from research being undertaken about the impact on children of the Christchurch earthquakes.

Research is showing that the Canterbury earthquakes have caused more trauma in young children than expected. So how bad is it and what can be done? JOHN McCRONE reports.

It could be serious. Researchers say they do not want to alarm, but a generation of children may be carrying around the unprocessed trauma of the Canterbury earthquakes.The level of trauma is unexpectedly high. Liberty says people are probably being caught out by the myth that young children are less formed and therefore more resilient to life shocks than adults.

The belief is that any psychological effect of the quakes ought to be forgotten quickly and so the problem is going unrecognised, she says. "Parents will just think their kids are acting up

BEVS

Wobbly rats !

I missed the whole darn wobbly thing.