Thanks, and apologies, to those who have worried about our safety -
we have been away from home (to visit a new grand-daughter), and have
been unable to access computers.
The earthquake in Christchurch happened at lunch-time on Tuesday, and
the results, as you will have seen from news media, are horrific.
I have not had the chance to read the digested messages since we
arrived home on Wednesday, but will do so, and respond as soon as I
can. It is so heartwarming to know that so many people have us in
their thoughts.
We were able to travel on one of the earliest extra flights to
Christchurch from Wellington on Wednesday, and were at home in
Coalgate by early evening. As we had heard by phone, the
Christchurch earthquake was felt in Darfield, but no damage was done
(almost the opposite of the effect of the September
earthquake). Christchurch airport is north-west of the central city,
and the area around it showed few signs of the damage we knew had
happened in the city.
Our house is just as we left it - nothing seemed to have moved, this
time - and we are not feeling the continual aftershocks that the city
is suffering. I worked in the (brand-new) Darfield library on
Thursday for the first time, and met many people who had moved out
from the city to stay with relatives. The Darfield shops were really
busy, with city people needing supplies. We heard many stories of
almost-new houses in the city that are now uninhabitable. Our spare
room has been offered to friends and family from the city if they
need to get some respite from the aftershocks.
All schools in the districts around the city are closed, so the
library was extra-busy, and many tourists are anxious to use the
internet facilities in the library as well.
But the rest of New Zealand is fine, and life is going on as
usual. We will have our Darfield Country Lace Day next Saturday, as planned.
Do keep Christchurch in your thoughts... there are so many sad
stories coming out (and some very heart-warming ones) and this will
continue as the hundreds of USAR team members from literally all over
the world search through the rubble that was once shops, office
buildings, cafes and churches. Just this morning there was news that
an aftershock at 7 a.m. has caused more damage to already endangered
buildings - and a team of over 300 policemen from Australia (good on
you, Aussies!) was greeted at the arrival hall at the airport with a
standing ovation. One of the survivors pulled from the city rubble
was able to go ahead with her planned wedding yesterday...
Thank you again for your thoughts -
Erica
Erica and Ian McLeod
Coalgate, New Zealand
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