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My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Old Mar 4th 2011, 2:44 am
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Default My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Magnitude 6.3

So, it’s smaller than the September 4th earthquake, so why was it so much more devastating?

4 Kilometres deep

That would be why. September 4th was 30k deep, the tremors had expended more energy before hitting the city. I think we can be thankful that it was that deep because it was bad enough at 30k.

12:51am, February 22nd. This is what happened to me;

I'd just finished my lunch, I'd had a shower and a shave and was going to go into the city, like I had done on Monday, when the Earth decided otherwise. the booming came first, chilling sounds of the earth moving beneath your feet and then the shaking hit, at first you assumed 'oh another aftershock, nothing to worry about' then it kept going, escalating quickly in strength, the room started heaving around so I jumped off the sofa I was sitting on, whilst being in the air the whole house rushed past me and I was slammed into the table and chairs by the window. I tried to rise but I was being bounced up and down like some kind of basketball as the quake kept going. In reflection I'm glad I couldn't get up, if I had the giant old television would have probably crushed me. When I finally did get up, the room was still shaking, the cupboards were flung open and the contents flying around the room. I'm sure at this point, briefly, I lost my mind, I was screaming at the earthquake to 'F*** off and get out' I stood there watching the walls twist as the whole house contorted with the moving earth. Amazingly, like a prayer had been answered, the ground stopped. That was all over in the longest 25 seconds I have ever experienced.

I ran up the stairs to check what had happened, I cut my feet on the glass that was everywhere, not a single thing was left on the walls, everything that had been standing, was over and the large front doors had been busted open. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, total and complete destruction of everything inside. I ran to check the bedrooms to see if anyone else was in. In each room, a wardrobe or other similar pieces of heavy furniture, was thrown across each of the beds. It was only sheer luck this wasn't at night. I went into the master bedroom and above me I heard running water, the cylinder had burst and was leaking everywhere, I went back to the hallway when the next aftershock hit, a 4.5 but nonetheless it was terrifying, the dogs ran upstairs one narrowly missed by a falling Night store heater, ripped away from the wall in the big one but taken off in this shake. This one was only around 2-3 seconds long, and if it had happened on any other day I would have ignored it like all the others like it. I went back downstairs to get shoes on and try to clean up when a detail from earlier came back to me, the front doors were open! I shot up stairs as I saw one of the dogs running up the road. I sprinted after it hoping I could catch her before she disappeared, I had no idea where the other dog was. Coming back to the house I saw all the wrought iron fencing had fallen from the tops of the brick fence, and some of the brick pillars had come away. Even the drive had sunk two inches and the wooden stairs behind it had twisted away from the wall. I put the dog I had into a small lockable pen with water and a kennel around the back of the house, I was loathe to keep it locked in the house somewhere. I was just coming up the balcony when I noticed a huge plume of dust from the cliffs out by Shag Rock, I knew then that this was worse than I could have ever imagined. standing there another aftershock rippled through, and took down Shag Rock right in front of my eyes. the sight of something like that splitting asunder and falling into the ocean is an awful thing to behold. Shag Rock was one of the signature features of Christchurch and held a special significance to my family as the first beach on the south island we went to. I have renamed the stricken rock Shag Pile.

With the destruction of Shag Rock I went back inside to grab a few things, finally getting round to putting my shoes on. I went upstairs and was about 5 metres from the door when, Bang! 13:10, the 5.9 hit, doors where coming off their tracks to the side of me and the house was shrieking I roared out against the noise, swearing at the earth thinking that the house was about to claim my life, I didn’t even run for the exit a thought went through my mind of 'Stay standing! Defy what the earth wants!' Lord knows why, obviously my fight or flight instinct is a bit out, I cant fight the earth but, at that moment I think I was about to try. I walked around the outside of the house asking neighbours if they had seen the small dog I was missing, they said no, but they would all keep an eye out.

Coming down the road to the side of the house, I noticed bricks and ironwork from the fence above had fallen into the road, I decided to clear it away the adrenaline must have been pumping I picked up the fence work and launched it into the driveway 2 metres above me. 'Just keep doing something, distract yourself or shock will set in' I kept reminding myself, but even doing anything it was all earthquake related, shock was coming for everyone. I remember some of the neighbours had radios going, we listened in and heard the spire of Christchurch Cathedral had come down, and Cashell Street Mall was a ruined avenue of fallen verandas and shop fronts. I ran to the end of the road and looked down upon the stricken city, a huge plume of smoke was coming up , the tragic remains of the CTV building aflame. Even from this distance the Grand Chancellor Hotel looked wrong, the whole city looked in pain. I was putting up the iron fencing against the wall, for some vague reason to do with keeping the dogs in, like it would have made a difference, the garden wall was totally levelled, I was placing one against the wall at an angle, thinking ‘ah that wont come over in the wind‘, turned to grab another bit and move on when another shudder passed through. It pulled the fencing upright and then down onto my back, I was still full of adrenaline, I didn’t feel it at all, I couldn’t figure out why I couldn't get up. A neighbour, who saw it happen, ran over and asked if I was ok, I asked why and he motioned to my back, I turned and saw the fencing and figured, ‘ah that might be why.’ I get up, shunting the fencing to one side and find that all it did was graze and bruise me.

I had tried ringing my Dad, but I knew from the Boxing Day Quake, phone lines would be congested and texts would be slow to come through. I heard some reassuring news that the mall my dad was working in, to repair it from the September 4th and December 26th quakes, was relatively ok, everyone had evacuated quickly. but I still hadn’t heard from my dad. everyone was waiting to hear from everyone, the wait was excruciating and draining. I sat on the pavement and held myself, tears where teasing on the edges of my eyes, I just wanted to hear from my Dad. I was resigning myself to the possibility that I was now stuck in New Zealand all alone, that my Dad had been killed and I would never see him again. after 2 hours and no word I was sure that this was the cold and heartless truth of what was happening, I couldn't hold out anymore. The bottle where I keep pain locked in, burst open and I cried like a broken-hearted child. I wasn't alone, people around me heard news of loved ones trapped or injured, the pain was devastating. I hope no one I know has to ever go through pain like this, if you know they are alive, or that they are dead, it is not as bad as the ambiguous ‘missing’ the hope drains you and without proper closure it is crushing. Thankfully after around two and a half hours after he sent it a text came through from my dad, I was so relieved!

After hearing the good news I went back into the house to get any drinks I could find, everyone on the street were all together, sharing food, water, blankets, everything. I was just looking into my room picking up some bits as another shudder passed through, once it stopped I heard rustling and a little black streak flew at me, the missing dog! I picked him up and took him to where I left the other dog and locked them both in, refilling the water bowl with the water bottles I always keep in my backpack, which was under an empty dresser at the time, I went back out to inform my new friends on the road of the good news, when the first reports of deaths were coming through. The first one I heard was of a distraught woman on the radio asking her partner to get in contact immediately if he could, because their 5 month old baby had been crushed by a falling television, and then died on the way to hospital, it was sickening.

Once I had been sitting around for what felt like an hour two, but in real time was about 6 hours the house owners arrived back home, they tried finding me, but I was at the house down the road, the owner there had got his BBQ going and had served up steak sandwiches, and me being me, I was where the food was. I finally heard the dogs yapping and barking, then I had to take my leave and went back to the house.

A few days after the earthquake, pretty much everyone hit a wall, the stress of the aftershocks, the pain we were all feeling and the situation we were in was punishing. I’ll admit right now I thought about going back to the UK, but the people here blew me away, residents from the seriously damaged districts of Sumner, New Brighton, and Redcliffs, all driving towards the city, with supplies for the rescue teams or wheelbarrows and spades to help alongside the teams, when their own houses were crushed , filled with the disgusting silt that choked most of the roads or filled with people from the surrounding homes. Everyone helps everyone here, regardless of what happens, the strength of the spirit in this city makes you want to stay regardless of the danger posed by the quakes.

Everyone I knew was ok, Everyone I loved was still here. The relatives and friends of the 145 confirmed dead and the 200+ people missing are in devastating grief and misery. You can’t help but think, ‘Why me? Why should I be so lucky when there are people out there who are not coming back home?’ I’m only here thanks to a long string of coincidences that resulted in me coming out alive. But the key is to remember not what could have killed you, but that you are here and these next few weeks or even months may well be hard but you can pull it together and come through on top.

Lucky, lucky me.
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Old Mar 4th 2011, 4:24 am
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Thank you for sharing that Chippy, and thank you to your son for writing it and allowing you to share it - it made me cry, and it made me smile.

We can view the images on the tv and on-line, but it's the personal recounts that finally make it real.
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Old Mar 4th 2011, 6:05 am
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Thank you Chippy - also have a few tears in my eyes after that which are combined with a sense of awe at the spirt and capacity for people to pull together in the face of a crisis.

I hope you and your family never have to go through the pain of not knowing again.
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Old Mar 4th 2011, 7:28 am
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

What an amazing young man your son is. I sobbed the whole way through reading it.
Thank you both for sharing it and good luck for the future x
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Old Mar 4th 2011, 4:19 pm
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Makes it very real, what a moving account. So glad your family came through OK Chippy.
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Old Mar 4th 2011, 5:04 pm
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Thank you for posting this Chippy....you must be a very proud Mum & wife, as well as so relieved!, thank goodness your son & husband came through this awful event.

What a star your son is ....had to read his account a few times 'cause of the leaking eyes.
Good luck & very best wishes to you & your family
B x
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Old Mar 4th 2011, 6:26 pm
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Wow ...... thank you to your son for his account of things, I too had tears filling my eyes while reading this because you could have almost been there.
So pleased that everyone was ok
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Old Mar 4th 2011, 6:39 pm
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Thank you everyone. I thought long and hard before posting it, as I didn't want to cause anyone anymore grief. I even sent it to BEVS first to check.

Everyone on this forum has been touched by the tragic events in ChCh, some more than others. We watch it on the news, usually reported by someone with no real connection and for some it becomes 'just another natural disaster in another far off place'. When I read Sam's account, I cried of course, but I also felt extremely proud that at the age of 19, he had the courage to put his innermost feelings and experiences into words for everyone to see.

Thank you once again for reading this and hopefully lots more people will also read it and be able to understand a little of what it was like on that awful day.
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Old Mar 4th 2011, 9:14 pm
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Wow...that brought tears to my eyes and shivers down my spine when reading that.

I have watched and read about the quake online and on tv and of course it upsets me like it does many but reading it through your sons eyes made it so very real and terrifying.

Like everyone else comments on I am just blown away with the courage and strength of the people of chch's ability to pull together and do what ever they can to help at this time.

If I finally get to live in NZ I will be proud to be part of the country.

Once again, i'm glad your son and husband are safe and well.


Stacey
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Old Mar 4th 2011, 9:37 pm
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Chippy....M of MnB (Kiwi other half) has just read your son's 'report'.....left him speechless initially ....then he said 'makes me want to go home'.......both 'kids' have dual nationality and although they've not set foot on NZ soil ...(yet!).... they agree with their M & D (or MnB ) and thank you & your family for 'telling it how it is'
((((hugs)))) B x
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Old Mar 7th 2011, 12:07 am
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Chippy, what a great account of the earthquake, Sam has a way with words
Brings back memories of Feb 22nd though mine was not so dramatic, but the fear, worry, disbelief, horror and insecurity was the same
Hope he and Mr Chippy are ok!
x
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Old Mar 7th 2011, 8:00 pm
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Thank you Chippy. You must be so proud of your son.
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Old Mar 8th 2011, 6:26 pm
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Thank you everyone - I am very proud of my son.

The Chaplain at my school is using Sam's story in his Boarders talk this evening, to show how there are acts of kindness from total strangers, which lots of people will have experienced.

I can't begin to comprehend how it is for people in ChCh, living with the constant aftershocks and ongoing power/water problems etc.

I find myself reluctant to put the radio on in the morning in case I hear of another earthquake. After this last one, I behaved completely irrationally, such as the previous evening I had been tucking into honey roast cashews but then wouldn't eat them again in case it was that which brought the earthquake about - how ridiculous is that . Deep down, I'm quite sure that I knew I didn't really have the power to cause or prevent this.

All anyone can hope for now is some return to normality but I fear it may be a long time coming for anyone that has been/is affected by this 'event'.
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Old Mar 8th 2011, 7:39 pm
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

The Chaplain at my school is using Sam's story in his Boarders talk this evening
I'm not surprised. It's a brilliant piece of writing Blimey. I'm proud of the lad and I don't even know him.

Originally Posted by chippy64

All anyone can hope for now is some return to normality but I fear it may be a long time coming for anyone that has been/is affected by this 'event'.
I agree.
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Old Mar 9th 2011, 2:06 am
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Default Re: My 19 year old son's account of the earthquake

Brilliantly written and very moving. So pleased that it was 'only' the house damaged.
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