Monday's Earthquake.

At around 12.02 am Monday morning (14th November), the South Island of New Zealand experienced a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. While it was located towards the top of the South Island, the North Island (where I live) felt it quite strongly.  I knew nothing of it until 6.30 am later that morning.  I turned on the radio to hear all kinds of warnings, from Tsunami to buildings falling down, and roads collapsing. Total chaos.  I then  checked my mobile phone and there was a message from a close cousin.  One solitary word. "Earthquake."  The next message said, "Rocked my house and creaked."  I panicked because she lives up here in the North Island about an hour and half south of me.  I sent her a text message asking if she was ok.  While I waited for her to reply I am hearing about this devastation in the South Island and how people are cut off because roads are so damaged no-one can get in or out.  Buildings have fallen down and houses have been demolished. I got more panicky by the second because my cousin was not replying to my text.  So I sent her an email hoping that would get to her.  I waited.  And waited.  Some time later she called me on my landline and said she was fine. She had been awake since midnight and  at 6 am had gone back to bed to try and get some sleep.  As soon as I heard her voice I burst into tears.  I was so happy to hear she was ok! Luckily her house was un-damaged.  She was safe but very stressed.

The damage to land and property is huge. Two people have lost their lives in the quake. There were two quakes together and luckily they were in areas that are not hugely populated, so that saved lives.  Three cows got stranded on a hill after the land gave way around them!  Thankfully they were saved and are ok!  Everyone was happy about that! People felt the quakes and some of the aftershocks up here in Auckland...I slept through it all and never felt a thing!  Yet people only a few minutes from here felt them!  My heart goes out to those people who are still stranded in remote areas. Tourists and locals. Water has run out so I hope they get help real soon.  Some of our Navy ships have gone down to help evacuate them.  One Australian ship and one from the USA too.  Thanks for that guys!  

We are ok, shaken but not stirred!  I don't ever want to experience an earthquake...I'd rather be stamping!

To Lorraine M..thanks for your concern and kind words for me:-)

There are thousands of kms of road destroyed, as well as train tracks.  The landscape, both land and sea, has been drastically ripped apart and changed forever.

I had trouble sleeping Monday night, so I was like a zombie the next day.  I still have trouble comprehending the whole thing.   My country is broken and in pieces:-(  But we will re-build and people are all pulling together and helping each other, that's what we do in a time like this.  

Ok that's it for today.  I just thought I would let people know I'm ok!  (Cats too!)

{HUGS} from me to YOU:-)