Mrs Pointer

I wasn't being flippant or underplaying how scary it is.

I was just making the point that staying anywhere has pros and cons. You just have to know what they are and weigh them up.

Who says I'm safer - I live in one of the most overpopulated parts of Britain (I couldn't work in the Highlands). Hell is other people.

And for 9 months of the year I am trapped indoors because of rubbish weather and can't get near any of the scenery for the millions of tourists who also want to see it - yes it's safe from earthquakes, but is it living?

luvwelly

Yes but the equation has changed.....few people have living memory of damage this bad from an earthquake. We are used to the 'rumbles/tremors'...you can live with those....and laugh them off....remember a lot of people are financially trapped here....reselling earthquake damaged houses/liquefied plots of land won't be easy....

luvwelly

Weather yes......millions of tourists??? Are you sure...I had a wonderful holiday in Scotland touring round in 2006...other tourists were not an issue at all.

mickey_d

It can happen in Wellington too!!

http://http://christchurchcitylibrar...rs/Giselle.asp

cappuccino

I heard that a lot of the insurance companies re-insure overseas so they will get paid out from those companies and pass on the dosh to the claimants here. I don't work in insurance so no idea how this all works though.

Mrs Pointer

As have we, but the emply places are a fair way up (a good 5 hours from here). The nice bits accessible from the central belt take a lot of traffic. Try getting through Callendar of a weekend....it puts you off.

I am not saying "ach earthquakes, no bother" - I haven't lived through one so I wouldn't be so naive. And I might feel differently if I had.

I love Scotland, but I want to experience something new and you can't not do something for fear of what might happen. If the risks are high, prepare for themthe best you can. I travel on the busiest road in scotland every day - it's why I have good car insurance,an airbag and roadside recovery. I've prepared for that risk.

rushmere

I agree completely.

The risk hasn't changed. I knew there was high risk of earthquakes before the Christchurch event, and that risk remains entirely unchanged. I'd already assessed the risk, and decided that, on balance, I want to move to NZ, so I have no reason to change my mind now. I think anyone who is now changing their minds does so only because they hadn't fully thought it through already, so for them, Christchurch may have been a bit of a wake up call.

Jan n Neil

I see no evidence of "she'll be right"

As Senior mgmt where I work we have regular disaster training days. We had the earthquake scenario only 2 months ago (we were planning for a 7.8) , we have also practised for flood, pandemic, etc etc. Over the years we have spent millions retro-fitting earthquake protection to large older buildings, ironically the last one was finished at work the day before this quake. And it worked!!

Our emergency measures at work started in a very rehearsed way just 30 minutes after the quake. Within 3 days 87 hectares of property and assests had been declared safe. I have also been extremely impressed with the CCC.

In our training we had been practising for no mobile phone network at all, and the Waimak bridge coming down - neither of which happened, thankfully. Neil and I also had a personal emergency plan which included no phones or bridge, as we live over it!!

There is indeed $bns in the Earthquake commison coffers for just this and there is enough. They also fund research and in ChCh some of their research engineers have been explicitly involved in design and prevention for years, and now assessment.

Just defending the Kiwi

Jan

DennisBergkamp

i'm happy to see how well NZ have coped. They have done a good job in their preparations

JohnThePom

Rethink?

No. It's not a secret that NZ lies on a fault line. The fact that there has been an earthquake changes nothing. Hopefully, analysis of the damage and response will help to reduce problems during the next one.

WP

Genesis

I agree with your sentiments which is why part of me adores life in NZ because it is so sparsely populated. The latter being NZ biggest draw for me. In 5 years we have been no where and seen nothing yet we are still quite content living in dull Pamy simply because of the top quality of our day to day average lives (save for having been ripped off for $80k by some of NZ's finest).

simonsi

Indeed, and the % of the UK population living areas that actually flood (as opposed to on flood plains but protected), is rising as the frequency and severity of flooding outstrips the protection in place.

If the OP looks at the world and rule out anywhere subject to flood, quake, storm or any other possible calamity where are you left with... (and BTW wherever it is you are still more likely to be killed in a vehicle accident or harmed by crime etc etc)

Genesis

Alas in NZ the chances of being killed by in a collision are stupidly high. Mainly thanks to crap legislation and a toothless criminal justice system. But no worries, she'll be right and the tax payer will pick up all the ACC costs along with the mugs who bother to pay their motor car ins. And afterall we have soooooooooooooooo much free space to bury people the fact that folk are being mowed down on driveways and highways is not an issue. And regarding driveways there is no excuse in a trillion years for killing anyone on your driveway. Its just down to shite could not care driving (and child care)which alas seems to be the order of the day in NZ just now for way too many bods. Rethink? Yeah, I must just do that if I could go back 5 years.

simonsi

Jeez, I really cant tell whether you like being here or not....

Genesis

I am relatively content with my every day life but that does not stop me being really pissed off at the way this country is run and the way some really personal things that have happened to me of late in my fiscal life have equally pissed me off. Fortunately no one I love has been killed yet and yes whilst our every day lives are cool when some one proffers the question 'would I re think' , yes if I had my time over I would probably have chosen Tazzy. That however does not negate the last 5 years in NZ have been good overall. I am angry just now about shit..I have not been for the last 5 years in total. And all the shit that goes on in NZ does not stop the quality of our lives being really good. You can have a really, really good life AND still be angry. The 2 are compatible just not desirable. In time my angst will drain and I will come to accept or ignore all the stuff that irks me. Or I will go mad. Probably the latter as I feel half way there at present!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!