CHRISTCHURCH LIES IN RUINS

As has been reported worldwide, yesterdays 6.3 magnitude earthquake caused untold chaos in Christchurch as panicking and upset people checked for the whereabouts of their loved ones in the rubble.

The 12.51pm quake struck 10 kilometres south-east of our second largest city Christchurch at a shallow depth of five kilometres and was followed  by a series of powerful aftershocks.

I live in a small town which is 74 kilometres from the epicentre, and the whole town felt the quake's violent shaking, surprisingly and miraculously no one was hurt.  However, the situation was different in  CHRISTCHURCH.  Many people have lost their lives, more bodies are being discovered, more survivors are being rescued and some are having to be amputated to free them from underneath the debris.  I would not wish such pain even on my worst enemy. 

Police have reported multiple fatalities at several locations in the down town area, including the two buses which were crushed by falling buildings.

The city centre is resembling a war zone and the damage is immense and the needs are correspondingly huge.  The Earthquake ruptured sewer,  water lines and powerlines, which were still under repair from September 4, 2010,  earthquake whose magnitude was 7.1.. It struck in the early hours of the morning
and therefore no one was killed,BUT this one struck midday, the time the central city was packed with lunch-hour shoppers..

Its reported that the death toll is already the second highest in a New Zealand earthquake - outranked only by the 7.9 violent earthquake which struck Hawke's Bay killing 256 people.

What has happened to our  city only helps us to know that, things can take an unexpected turn just like that.  It is a terrifying experience to feel the earth moving beneath you.  I cannot describe it well enough, but what I know is that you feel powerless and helpless.  No one can stand up to mother nature, except the One who created it.  Yes, what is happening right now is painfuland devastating and as human beings, we will never comprehend why these disasters happen.

Let us join together to pray for the people of Christchurch, that the Almighty God will comfort them in these very difficult and trying times.

crumbled

car parkade

 the Cathedral

 bus

car