The past earthquake hit a lot more close to home. Christchurch is a spectacular city in the South Island of amazing New Zealand. I was lucky enough to spend close to 24 hours in the area. At the time I visited, it was a stopping ground before my next adventure. I got a chance to explore the city a bit, walk around the town square, see the famous church. On those walks, I saw the damage of an earthquake that occured this past September. Buildings still laid in rubble, signs still declared buildings unsafe, some were just left untouched. Shops had moved, closed signs still stayed up, things were forgotten. Most of the city, however, was booming. The city had a livelihood, a quick pace, a laid back attitude that defines the entire country. The square gave it a more European feel. The towering skyscrapers provided an amazing contrast. This is how I last remember seeing the city on Monday February the 14th. A city with amazing vigor, life, and hope.
News of the earthquake hit us during class on Tuesday 22nd in our new location of Sydney. A 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit the city. The death toll is now over 75 and still climbing as over 100 people are still missing. This disaster his a little closer to home compared to Katrina. New Zealand was a terrific host during the past six weeks to my study abroad program. Every Kiwi we came into contact with wanted to ensure we enjoyed our stay in their home, that we got the most out of our experience on their island, that we had a good impression of their country. New Zealand became part of my home. Looking through pictures of the devastation is unreal. It still hasn't sunk in that places like the Cathedral now lay in rubble. I have some of the last pictures of the city untouched by natural disaster. Those pictures are now a bit more precious than others I have taken. Those hold memories that some people may never get to experience. It is extremely unsettling.
Tuesday was proclaimed as one of the darkest days in New Zealand's history. They will need all the help they can get rebuilding. Power and water still remain off in most of the city. People are still being searched for in the rubble. Buildings are being evacuated for the fear they could still crumble. A National State of Emergency has been declared. New Zealand prime minister John Key urged for "the strongest possible focus of local, national and international resources working together to achieve the best possible response in the shortest timeframe." They are going to need all the help they can get rebuilding and getting back on their feet. It is not going to be an easy task, and nothing can completely recover their losses.
Professor Richard Barke, a professor that taught during the New Zealand portion of the program, sent us an email stating, "the Kiwis [can be characterized] as a warm, generous, fun-loving people, which makes the earthquake's loss of life and devastation even more painful to witness." He couldn't have phrased it any better. Seeing these places, meeting these people, and benefitting from both have made it a bit harder to watch the news, to hear about the distruction, to see pictures. This tragedy couldn't have happened to a better and more friendly country. Please remember to keep them in your prayers. New Zealand maybe home to only four million people; however, they have all been deeply affected. There is hope at the end of this story though, just pray it arrives quickly.
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| The above picture is a picture I took during my trip through Christchurch. The picture below is just some of the destruction caused by the earthquake |
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