USA shaken by Trump - New Zealand shaken by 7.5 earthquake

USA shaken by Trump - New Zealand shaken by 7.5 earthquake. Many visitors to NZ were introduced to the big shake and roll and some won't be able to complete their tour of our country as the State Highway is seriously damaged in the South Island. It will take weeks to repair and get the highway open for traffic again. The alternate road route adds another 2½ hours to journey from Picton to Christchurch.
Christchurch was hit by the big earthquake 6 years ago but has not sustained the same damage this time.

 

Are you and your family Ok. I hope no one was hurt. In regards to Trump: People of the USA are sick and tired of: Nothing getting done again politics as usual.

 

In regards to Donald from a migrant ausie, I like the boy, someone though should have told him " A slip of the foot can heal in a short time, A slip of the Tongue can last a life time"

 

Any property damage or injuries your way, Neil?

Good to see you online.

 

As a San Franciscan I always read your reports of a quake with special interest. A little jiggler from time to time keeps life interesting, but these recent ones you've had down there are overdoing it. Try backing off on the severity of them a bit.

 

Thanks guys, we are OK apart from the odd aftershock. Just reported on news that there have been over 1800 aftershocks since the quake early Monday morning! We are lucky that we have not felt ALL of these tremors. We are living in a suburb which is built on a hill about 150 feet above sea level - hopefully clear of tsunamis!!! We also don't appear to be on the main earthquake fault line as the aftershock which has left an 8 storey building in the Wellington CBD in a near collapse state yesterday - we did not feel. I don't know what pictures you may have seen reported in your news/TV, but the damage done to the main State Highway 1 in the South Island (where the quake occurred) has cut off road access to the North via the Ferry crossing to the North Island where we are. Other roads have been severely damaged by slips and flooding due to the extreme bad weather we have experienced over the whole of the country. This is hampering evacuation of travellers and visitors and supply of essential supplies.
Communications in the area of the major disaster area have been severely disrupted. Fresh water supply and drainage have been cut and damaged and the only access to these areas is by helicopter and sea. The access by sea is in turmoil at the moment as the quake thrust the seabed up at shore level which has meant vessels can't get in to the local wharves until the area has been surveyed because of unknown upward rock formations. There has been enormous assistance already from overseas countries, Australia, USA and China and others as there is a celebration in place for 75 years of NZ Naval history but the ships are in the Auckland area. This is about 750 Kms away and probably many hours sailing to get there.
We have also been very lucky in that with all the severe weather in Wellington, we have only had one power outage which lasted a couple of hours. That was around midday yesterday and the wife and I had to open our Emergency kit and make use of our camp cooker to heat a tin of soup for lunch. It was a good learning curve for us when the power went off as my brother had rung me on Landline and he was in full verse when the phone went dead at my end. He then rang back to my cellphone to carry on the conversation. Remember to keep phone and laptop batteries charged!!! My phone was down to 25% charge when the power came back on as I had been in contact with other family members and using text to conserve power and save cluttering the air waves.
The weather has cleared somewhat this morning as we have some blue sky showing. We were completely closed in with mist and rain for 48 hours following the quake which made conditions very uncomfortable and extremely difficult and dangerous to venture out on the roads. We had slips and flooding occurring all round the Wellington district and we were advised to stay indoors and keep off the roads unless it was vitally necessary. I hope things are easing and will improve to enable help and supplies to reach those in need. Cheers Neil.
Tony, yes, all Hobbits are surviving OK.

 

Wow! I'm glad to know you all are okay.

 

I didn't realize New Zealand was south of Australia. You folks are closer to the South Pole than they are, and yet you are in the Ring of Fire.

 

Just slightly south James. Wellington is on the same Latitude as Melbourne. Christchurch (in the South Island of NZ) is used by the USA Antarctic Division as a nearer point for their supply planes to go to McMurdo and back.

 

Amazing! Glad you are ok.
I hear of quakes in Japan again this morning.

 

Quakes in Japan are common. They are occurring all the time. I was there in 1985 and saw cracks in buildings and concrete floors and massive strengthening that had been carried out because of the continual movement. New Zealand suffers the same way. Quakes/earth movements are occurring daily. It just depends on where you are and the strata you are on whether you actually feel the tremors. There have been in excess of 5000 aftershocks recorded so far and I know I haven't felt half of them!!! GeoNet - Quakes