Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/02/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thanks Ted, I am the only one I am aware of on this list (the others are VERY quiet) but am in Wellington, a few hundred km north. Wellington has always been expected to be badly hit, it sits right over the main NZ quake fault line. Until the quake in September it was not known that Chch was on any fault lines, they have had a lot of liquefaction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_liquefaction) down there. We have different geology here (mostly on volcano created hills (Chch is soft, flat soil) and most houses are wooden rather than the brick of Chch. However a decent quake would cause major damage, a 4.5 or so is the biggest in the last 5 or 6 years, that did little more than put some lifts out of whack. The seismologists are suggesting that these tremors are likely to start something on the main fault. This earthquake was lesser than the September one, but much closer to inhabitation and many times closer to the surface. I read somewhere that these combinations mean it was a factor of several 10x more damaging as a result. I have been surprised at how little footage has come out of near the main quake time. Cathedral Sq is a major tourist area as well as being in the centre of town, but no footage of the spire (or anything else) collapsing just footage of the aftermath. In NZ we are always reminded about keeping an emergency kit at home. The other thing is to have an arranged meeting point in case family are not together at the time, although mobile phones/texts seem to be working better than I would have expected. john - with M9/35mm in bag at feet ________________________________________ NEW ZEALAND EARTHQUAKE! This post is for all those LUG members living along the west coast of South & North America continents. It has nothing to do with being mercenary, but everything about being prepared... FIRST YOUR FAMILIES AND SELF! Around Vancouver Island in the past week we have had a couple of slight shakers, this just before the New Zealand quake. Now this has nothing to do with pushing any panic buttons, but simple common sense logic, be prepared! 1/ Do you have a dozen bottles of fresh water in your home, some food in cans and more importantly "A CAN OPENER TO GET THEM OPEN?" Unless you have the newly designed pull tab soup and other kinds of food cans with pull tabs to open? 2/ A mobile battery operated radio and a phone? Like look at it this simple way...... "YOU ARE BURIED WITHIN A COLLAPSED BUILDING... YOUR HOME? YOU ARE ALIVE AND BASICALLY OK, BUT YOU CAN'T GET OUT! SO YOU'RE TRAPPED AND DIE BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS YOU ARE TRAPPED INSIDE! Think about that simple scenario? So make sure you have some kind of communication whatever it is! WE! Those living around the Pacific Ocean "RING OF FIRE!" If you don't know what and where that is do a quick look on your computer screen and GOOGLE "Rim of Fire countries." Don't slough this off for those living coastal areas of North & South America! Or the other side of the Pacific Ocean. A few minutes and it may save you and your families life. WHY AM I BRINGING THIS UP? Quite simple really. During the past several months there has been a considerable amount of seismic activity around the Pacific Ring of Fire countries. And given they've been getting stronger let's not sit around unprepared until we end up like those poor folks in New Zealand. I usually have an M camera with me most of the time and have done so for many many years.... "A Good Boy Scout, "Always Be Prepared!" By the same token on one occasion I did miss a small Earth quake in these parts a few years ago "without a camera!" Trust me it's never going to happen again! Particularly now! Since all this extra seismic activity has begun happing around the Pacific Ocean.... read my lips, NO MATTER WHERE I GO I WILL HAVE AN M8 and a few cards in my pocket just in case!" Plus a spare battery in another pocket! Think about it all you folks on the WEST coast of North & South America????? ..... WE COULD BE THE NEXT BIG ONE? AND DO YOU WANT TO MISS ALL THE REALLY COOL PICTURES AS IT'S HAPPENING?" Trust me it isn't going to be me! Any LUG members in New Zealand / Christchurch City I wish you well and trust you and your families are safe and sound. Dr. ted