I was fairly suprised that no-one has started a thread about this yet - it happened 2 days ago.
Christchurch is my home town. I believe I will not be able to recognise it when I return. Much of the central city is flattened, and a lot of the rest will have to be demolished. So far 75 people are confirmed dead, although this is likely to rise into the hundreds. Thousands are homeless. Hundreds of others are badly injured, often needing limbs amputated. The irony is that this is an aftershock - it's strength of 6.3 is much less than the 7.1 of the earthquake we had in September. The difference is that this quake was centred right under the city, only 5km (3 miles) deep.
Here is the BBC's take. Here is the donation page for the New Zealand Red Cross; should anyone wish to make a donation I think they would be a good bet.
Christchurch is my home town. I believe I will not be able to recognise it when I return. Much of the central city is flattened, and a lot of the rest will have to be demolished. So far 75 people are confirmed dead, although this is likely to rise into the hundreds. Thousands are homeless. Hundreds of others are badly injured, often needing limbs amputated. The irony is that this is an aftershock - it's strength of 6.3 is much less than the 7.1 of the earthquake we had in September. The difference is that this quake was centred right under the city, only 5km (3 miles) deep.
Here is the BBC's take. Here is the donation page for the New Zealand Red Cross; should anyone wish to make a donation I think they would be a good bet.
