Earthquake

Canterbury Earthquake

On Saturday the fourth of September 2010 at 4.35am, an unexpected and traumatizing earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale shook the Canterbury area. The epicentre occurred outside of Darfield. The two tectonic plates that caused the terrifying earthquake were the Australian and the Pacific plates, which had long been forgotten over a 16,000 year time span.

The earthquake lasted for a really long ninety seconds. Most people felt a violent shaking, like their house was wobbling upon jelly. Also they heard a harsh loud noise like a train crashing into their houses. These rumbling sounds come from sound waves that are let off from the plates colliding into each other. As well as rumbling sounds most people heard their house shaking and their belongings crashing to the ground.

The aftermath of the earthquakes fury was devastating. Most of the historical buildings had crumbled to the ground. Luckily the damage was mostly to houses and buildings. There were no deaths to people related to the earthquake except for a lady who suffered a fatal heart attack from the strain of the earthquake. As well as buildings and houses crumbling, there has also been a lot of liquefaction. Liquefaction is the process in which silt rises from the cracks in the ground. A man had also been severely injured when a chimney crushed his legs, feet, head and ribs. He is now in an induced coma for a week.

I will never forget the day the terrifying earthquake severely shook the very foundation of our house. I was fast asleep in my warm cozy bed. Then out of the blue my bed began to shake violently. At first I thought I was dreaming, but I quickly realized this was reality and not a dream. I suddenly realized it was an earthquake. I ran to the doorway as fast as I could powered by adrenalin. I waited there traumatized until the earthquake subsided. When the shaking stopped I went to see if my family was okay and prepared for aftershocks.

After the terrifying earthquake looters looted many stores and schools. This means that people broke into stores or schools and stole their belongings. I feel disgusted about this because it is wrong to steal, especially after a huge earthquake

Kiwa

Year 8