Christchurch Racked by Further Strong Tremors

Christchurch City was shaken by several strong aftershocks on Monday afternoon, and the central city area including the central police station was evacuated.

The strongest tremor which came at 2:20 p.m. local time was located 10 kilometres south east of the city and measured 6.0 on the Richter scale. It had a depth of 9 kilometres, according to the GeoNet website. This was followed by another aftershock 20 minutes later measuring 4.9.

“They just keep coming,” said one Christchurch resident who said he had already felt six tremors during the day.

“You sort of get used to them depending on the direction they come from,” he explained.

Another resident reported people frantically trying to collect their children from school, broken traffic lights, burst water mains and people evacuating buildings.

Power outages had affected 54,000 Christchurch homes, telephone lines were stressed and liquefaction had reappeared, Television New Zealand (TVNZ) reported.

Several bridges had been closed, dislodged boulders had been reported and the Merivale Mall was also closed, according to a police news release.

High school student, Oliver Robinson, said the rumbling and lurching of the aftershock left him fearful that the shaking was going to become still more violent.

Thousands of tremors since the 7.1 magnitude earthquake on Sept. 4, 2010 and the more devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake on Feb. 22 this year, that killed 182 people, have had a dramatic effect on local residents. Thousands of families have already moved to other parts of the country.

“Whenever I think about what was lost it’s like getting punched in the gut—the cathedral, most of the big buildings in the middle of town, quite a few of my friends houses have gone, my dad’s work has gone, my mother’s work has gone,” said Oliver.

He is not thinking of leaving Christchurch. “I will just have to stick it out. It’s where my home and family are.”