Five years ago today, Christchurch and Canterbury were shaken awake at 4.35am by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake. My neighbours and family wandered around the corner to see this on Victoria Street.
Our first library blog post on 4 September 2010:
Christchurch experienced a major earthquake this morning 4.35am, Saturday 4 September 2010 ...
Our book chat switched into Civil Defence, community information, library info, and ideas to look after the kids. (see our September 2010 posts).
Central Library : after the quake. Flickr CCL-CE-2010-09-08-DSC02045
WiFi users outside the Central Library Even though the library is closed due to the earthquake customers are still happy using the free Wi Fi, 7 September 2010. Flickr CCL-CE-2010-09-07-DSC01928
Here's some snippets of memory from 4 September 2010:
- A few objects fell down in the house, but the kitchen was almost untouched, except for a container of oil which left a big oil slick on the floor.
- After the initial drama of getting out of the house we made contact with their neighbours in the other three flats. When we had calmed a bit, we began to venture around the neighbourhood. Around the corner, the Daily Bagel building had collapsed on to the street.
- We never lost power and were without water for only a short time. Our place became a gathering point for friends who came to charge phones and use the internet.
- Our chimney came down.
- Dad was in Dunedin and immediately hitched a ride back on a truck – probably the only person trying to get to Christchurch!
If you feel like telling your stories, visit Quake Stories.
More photos and stories:
- See more images in our Flickr set After the earthquake
- 4 September 2010 DigitalNZ set
- UC CEISMIC Earthquake Digital Archive
- QuakeStories
Our blog posts looking back:
- That was then, but this is now: 4 September 2010 / 4 September 2014
- 4 September 2014: Four years ago: 4 September 2010
- 4 September 2013: Looking back at 4 September 2010
- 4 September 2012: We woke up. 4.35am
- 4 September 2011: We are history – How earthquakes have connected us with the past and future
On the website
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