The world's biggest earthquake this year...
Well, our little country here has been blessed with this distinction. Early this morning (dec 24), we had a little X-mas present from Mother Nature.
An earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale, off the coast of the South Island. The only one this year to go above 8, apparently. Lucky we were that it happened 800 km below the surface, otherwise the results would have been disastrous, even in quake-ready NZ.
Here, in the shaky isles, we are used to quakes. Small and big ones. But the first one I felt reallly put the shakes into me. It happened 3 months after I landed here.
Now, I am used to the fact that quakes happen here all the time. But even then, when I feel the bed trembling and the crockery rattling around in the cupboards, I still go a bit pale. And we all of us run for the doorway or under the table..... have to teach Nandita this one, she's still too young to know.
Statistically, we are ripe for a really big one to hit one of the country's cities. Any time now. But hey, what place is safe? We've had one in even Singara Chennai. Take heart my friend, it't not yet pralayam.
7 comments:
Even had an earthquake in Shrewsbury, a year or so back! It was quite a strong one too but the major effect was in Manchester, about 60 miles away. For the first few seconds, it was like I was in a weird dream - I didnt imagine for a moment that it was a 'quake!
Funny that we both mentioned quakes in Chennai... and now it's actually happened. Not quite the quake itself, but the tsunami aftermath. Awful, awful, awful. All that damage and all those deaths - God, if there is one, has a macabre sense of humour.
Hi Laksh,
800 km below surface. You were lucky. But we at Chennai were not so lucky. The serene picture of Marina Beach on a bright sunny Sunday morning was turned into a war-torn area look in matter of minutes with dead bodies, destroyed huts screaming and wailing human beings all over.
hi
if you see the pictures...they tell a story. if you see the devastation....it takes your heart out...
lucky and not so lucky... or may you can say destined to be lucky.
Shyam,
We spoke too soon and out of turn. God, and esply to be away, I was petrified, as I didn't know the extent of the damage and my house is only abt a km away from marina/santhome.
it has put me off totally. we are all under a pall of gloom. i've stopped watching TV, can't bear it any more.
hari,
when i moved to nz, everyone warned me of earthquakes and tsunamis as they are a part of life in nz _ we have about 1000 quakes a year as the whole country is on a faultline and tsunamis appear with regularity. but this one just tells me one thing _ no where is safe _ it is only a matter of when your time comes!!
Vibha,
Welcome to my site. I hope you found it interesting. As for the tsunami, maybe now it is time for hope, rather than distress.
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