The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' regional website for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands discloses the existence of a video showing four LDS sister missionaries discussing their experiences of the 6.3 "aftershock" in Christchurch, New Zealand which took place on February 22nd, 2011. While classified as an "aftershock", the effects have been more severe and widespread than the original 7.0 September 2010 earthquake.
The missionaries are identified as Sister Geraline Fafai and Sister Evelyn Tepa, both from Brisbane, Australia; Sister Taake Moantau from Tarawa, Kiribati; and Sister Emily Wu from Taipei, Taiwan. All four young women had been serving in Christchurch, but since the quake have been re-assigned to other parts of the Wellington New Zealand Mission. One of the missionaries noted that she missed a local bus she normally took; that bus turned out to be the bus upon which a building partially fell. All other LDS missionaries in New Zealand were found to be safe and accounted for shortly after the quake struck:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR8-r5G-kq0
The LDS Church's New Zealand website also discloses that there have been no deaths or life threatening injuries reported for any Church members. Approximately 30 Latter-day Saint families have been displaced from their homes. Families are living with friends or extended family members. Some have left Christchurch due to trauma or home damage. LDS Church Physical Facilities Department personnel report that all four LDS chapels in the local area have suffered major structural damage in addition to some degree of liquefaction occurring in and around some of the buildings. None of the four chapels in Christchurch will be used until further notice and further engineering evaluation. The Church College of New Zealand campus is being made available to members and those not of our faith for respite accommodation
The New Zealand Herald continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative local source for media stories on the earthquake. As of 6:13 A.M. on March 1st, New Zealand time, the death toll is now fixed at 154. A new forecast by GNS Science geological hazard modeller Matt Gerstenberger shows that in the next week Christchurch should expect between one and 10 aftershocks greater than magnitude four and within three weeks the number should drop to one magnitude four every three to four days. At least one magnitude-four quake per month is possible for the next 12 months. Buildings significantly weakened by previous quakes could fall. The Treasury's early estimate of the damage of the February 22nd earthquake is $10 billion to $15 billion; that's in addition to the $5 billion cost of the September 2010 quake, according to Prime Minister John Key.
A gallery of 88 photos is available HERE.
Information on how to donate to earthquake relief through the Red Cross available HERE.
Showing posts with label Christchurch earthquake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christchurch earthquake. Show all posts
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
LDS Church Reports All Missionaries In New Zealand Safe And Accounted For After Devastating 6.3 Aftershock In Christchurch
Update February 28th: Death toll now 145; video of LDS missionaries describing their earthquake experiences available in this updated post.
The Mormon Times reports that Scott Trotter, a spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has confirmed that all missionaries serving in New Zealand are safe and accounted for after the devastating 6.3 aftershock which rocked Christchurch on February 22nd, 2010. Although the Mormon Times reports the magnitude as 7.0, all other sources still report it as 6.3. Details about the status of LDS Church members, their homes and church facilities as well as the providing of humanitarian aid will be updated as more information becomes available later Tuesday.
In the original September 2010 earthquake, only two LDS chapels, Fendalton and Avonside, sustained structural damage; all other local LDS facilities sustained only cosmetic damage at the worst. The LDS temple in New Zealand is located in Hamilton on North Island and is unlikely to be affected.
The New Zealand Herald contains the most comprehensive on-site coverage of the quake and its effects. The quake struck on February 20th at 12:51 P.M. New Zealand time, right at the height of the lunch hour. Although the U.S. Geological Survey officially classifies it as an "aftershock" of the original 7.0 temblor on September 4th, 2010, the damage and the human cost appears much greater after this quake. Aftershocks continue, one as high as 5.7. Although the official death toll is 38 as of this post, it is feared it could reach as high as 300. Most of the city is currently without essential services such as gas, power, water, and phone. A number of sewer and water lines broke, flooding some streets and neighborhoods. Christchurch International Airport's new domestic terminal building, scheduled for completion in May 2012, has also suffered damage.
The effects weren't limited to Christchurch, either. The quake even shook off a massive chunk of ice from the country's biggest glacier some 120 miles (190 kilometers) east of Christchurch. Tour guides at the Tasman Glacier in the Southern Alps say the quake shook some 30 million tons of ice to off the glacier, forming icebergs in the lake. The falling ice created waves up to 11-feet (3.5-meters) high, which swept up and down the lake for 30 minutes.
There are several reasons why this aftershock was more destructive. First, it it was centered only three miles (5 km) from the city, closer to where people live and work. Second, it was much shallower. Third, it took place at lunch time, when many more people were in the downtown area. And finally, many of the buildings which were damaged most likely would not have been damaged had there not been the first quake in September 2010; what this means is that many buildings which appeared to have withstood the first quake were seriously weakened at the time, but the deficiencies weren't obvious to the untrained eye.
-- New Zealand Herald providing continuous Twitter-style updates HERE.
-- New Zealand Herald portal to numerous photos and videos available HERE.
-- Jarrod Booker provides a good first-person account HERE.
-- For those who don't want to wait for LDS Humanitarian Services to set up their donation portal, a number of donation options are spelled out HERE.
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| The relatively modern Pyne-Gould building, which has unfortunately become the symbol of the latest Christchurch earthquake |
In the original September 2010 earthquake, only two LDS chapels, Fendalton and Avonside, sustained structural damage; all other local LDS facilities sustained only cosmetic damage at the worst. The LDS temple in New Zealand is located in Hamilton on North Island and is unlikely to be affected.
The New Zealand Herald contains the most comprehensive on-site coverage of the quake and its effects. The quake struck on February 20th at 12:51 P.M. New Zealand time, right at the height of the lunch hour. Although the U.S. Geological Survey officially classifies it as an "aftershock" of the original 7.0 temblor on September 4th, 2010, the damage and the human cost appears much greater after this quake. Aftershocks continue, one as high as 5.7. Although the official death toll is 38 as of this post, it is feared it could reach as high as 300. Most of the city is currently without essential services such as gas, power, water, and phone. A number of sewer and water lines broke, flooding some streets and neighborhoods. Christchurch International Airport's new domestic terminal building, scheduled for completion in May 2012, has also suffered damage.
The effects weren't limited to Christchurch, either. The quake even shook off a massive chunk of ice from the country's biggest glacier some 120 miles (190 kilometers) east of Christchurch. Tour guides at the Tasman Glacier in the Southern Alps say the quake shook some 30 million tons of ice to off the glacier, forming icebergs in the lake. The falling ice created waves up to 11-feet (3.5-meters) high, which swept up and down the lake for 30 minutes.
There are several reasons why this aftershock was more destructive. First, it it was centered only three miles (5 km) from the city, closer to where people live and work. Second, it was much shallower. Third, it took place at lunch time, when many more people were in the downtown area. And finally, many of the buildings which were damaged most likely would not have been damaged had there not been the first quake in September 2010; what this means is that many buildings which appeared to have withstood the first quake were seriously weakened at the time, but the deficiencies weren't obvious to the untrained eye.
-- New Zealand Herald providing continuous Twitter-style updates HERE.
-- New Zealand Herald portal to numerous photos and videos available HERE.
-- Jarrod Booker provides a good first-person account HERE.
-- For those who don't want to wait for LDS Humanitarian Services to set up their donation portal, a number of donation options are spelled out HERE.
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