although a smaller EQ than Sept ( 6.3 vs 7.0 ) BUT the epicenter is very shallow, much ,much closer to the city centre ( only 6 miles or so) and arrives in the city amplified by the volcanic rock that it originated in ( different earth substructure than Sept)
See the NZHerald.co.nz and stuff.co.nz websites
The devastation is huge. I was driving with my wife and thought the rear wheel was coming off the car. I drop her back to her school and head to work.. An overbridge gives me a view of the central city - I see a massive dust cloud and immediately know we have not escaped casualties this time. My 10 minute journey takes 40 or 50 minutes - streets are damaged, river bridges down and the roads full of cars. Aftershocks rock the car as I sit in traffic.
The eastern side of town, where we are , is smashed. Our building is fine , my staff fine but shaken.
The days that follow are a blur.
EQ was 10 to 1 Tuesday - 5.30pm Wed we get power back so can offer emergency service and meds to people ( I did this on Wed, without power - handwritten pharmacy labels will be a historic quirk
)
Phones are OK Wed till midday but stop working until midday Thursday. Our roads are jammed - the bridge at the end of our street is one of few standing. Our local doctors are doing their rounds on pushbike.
We have no potable water ( OK, I live rurally so bring bottles of fresh water in) , no sewerage ( portaloo arrives tomorrow, hopefully) and internet just came up late yesterday - hence our lack of response.
I have been assisting our pharmacy wholesaler re-locate - this is a vast undertaking, made necessary by building damage and the fact that the building is inside the CBD cordon. I've gotten persuasively good at talking my way past the police/Army cordon
I've not seen the US based USAR ( Urban Search and Rescue ) teams on the ground here, but they are here and we are grateful.
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