This week's Thematic theme fits the way I've been feeling lately. I've been sick for the last
couple of weeks, and winter is getting me down.
couple of weeks, and winter is getting me down.
In April I visited my old hometown of Christchurch, which was struck by several devastating earthquakes in 2010-11. (See here and here)
Since September 4th 2010 there have been 10,934 quakes, ranging from the largest (7.1 on 4th September 2010), through the aftershock which took the most lives and caused the most damage (6.3 on 22nd February 2011), down to small aftershocks which are barely felt. There was a 3.1 quake at 11.00 am this morning, 14th June.
I cannot express in words how depressing the visit was.
The city I knew has gone. As a teenager I lived in the beautiful seaside suburb of Sumner, where many houses toppled down cliffs and where large shipping containers are anchored at the bottom of steep, shorn hillsides, to keep rocks from tumbling onto the roads.
The port of Lyttelton was virtually on top of the shallow epicentre of the 6.3 quake.
Many of the shops and buildings have been demolished, or are in the process of being pulled down, leaving empty lots interspersed with piles of rubble.
The high school I attended, Christchurch Girls' High School, stood here:
This is what it used to look like:
The CBD was hugely damaged, and large parts of it are still inaccessible to the public
while tower blocks and heritage buildings alike are being razed to the ground.
One small part - a few blocks - of the CBD is open for business, with
"pop-up" shops mostly constructed from shipping containers:
All of the older structures which are still standing are closed or fenced off from
public access, like the Bridge of Remembrance across the Avon River:
So.
I lived in this city for 25 years.
I will never live there again, and I would never want to. I have nothing but admiration
for the people who have stayed (many haven't) and shown indomitable strength and spirit.
I wish them luck in rebuilding their shattered city.
I cannot express in words how depressing the visit was.
The city I knew has gone. As a teenager I lived in the beautiful seaside suburb of Sumner, where many houses toppled down cliffs and where large shipping containers are anchored at the bottom of steep, shorn hillsides, to keep rocks from tumbling onto the roads.
 |
| half a house on top of a new cliff |
Many of the shops and buildings have been demolished, or are in the process of being pulled down, leaving empty lots interspersed with piles of rubble.
 |
| Building gone? Now it's an outdoor cafe |
 |
| this one's being rebuilt - with attitude! |
This is what it used to look like:
The CBD was hugely damaged, and large parts of it are still inaccessible to the public
while tower blocks and heritage buildings alike are being razed to the ground.
 |
| Source |
"pop-up" shops mostly constructed from shipping containers:
All of the older structures which are still standing are closed or fenced off from
public access, like the Bridge of Remembrance across the Avon River:
So.
I lived in this city for 25 years.
I will never live there again, and I would never want to. I have nothing but admiration
for the people who have stayed (many haven't) and shown indomitable strength and spirit.
I wish them luck in rebuilding their shattered city.
and these words:
"The sentiment of the sign is so true for Christchurch – there is so much we can see no more. At least not in real life. The buildings and sights will never be in physically front of us again, they’re consigned to memory now, and that fades oh so quickly... even now it’s getting harder and harder to piece things together – which street was that? What building was that?"
If you've stayed with me until this point, thank you for reading.
