Christchurch earthquake

[caroline7758]

Has anyone here got friends/family our there? If so let's send prayers and good vibes that they are ok. My son set off travelling last November with 2 friends. One of them went on to New Zealand and is in Christchurch- we are still waiting for any news. My son and the other guy decided to go to Australia before NZ and arrived in Melbourne on Sunday. I'm trying not to think what might have been if they had kept to their original plan. :'(

[caroline7758]

[Kea]

Yes quite a lot it's where i come from.....so far everyone seems to be ok but my sister in law and niece live in Lyttleton and they couldn't get home and reports suggest that most of lyttleton has been flattened so i guess i have yet another family member homeless. My nephews wife has been on fb and says the house is a mess but to what extent i don't know.
My friends father was in the cathedral but got out safely and her husband is in charge of USAR in Christchurch so he has a very dangerous job.

[daitheplant]

Apparently there was so much damage because the buildings were weakened by last septembers `quake. Let`s just hope there are no more fatalities.

[lorna]

One of my Great Nephews is safe he lives a few miles from Christchurch. We are still waiting (on facebook) if another great nephew is safe, He has been on a six month travel with his girlfriend and we know he is in NZ but nor sure where. Haven't seen any posts or pics from him for couple of days. My thoughts are with all the people who have lost family members and for those who are now homeless.

[lorna]

Good news for my family. Great Nephew James and his girlfriend are safe.

[Spudbash]

...as is my friend Nola, whose email I've just received.  :)

[antipodes]

Such a shame, New Zealanders are very friendly helpful people, our part of the world has had a lot of bad luck this last few months. A friend knows Christchurch well and always said it was a magnificent city. A great pity...

[Ellen K]

They're also resilient.

The death and damage is shocking, I've been there on holiday too and it's shocking to see the state it's been left in.

[cornykev]

I've emailed my mate in Christchurch and I'm waiting for news.   :-\
I just checked my email they're save but Christchurch is in a real state.   :(

[caroline7758]

Still no news of my son's mate, except that his home and workplace seem to be unaffected, which may be a positive. His brother is flying out there today. :(

[mat]

Oh no Caroline; I hope his Brother finds all is well in the chaos it must be...  Your son must be having a hard time at the moment thinking "I could have been with him".

My thoughts are with everyone affected

mat

[cornykev]

My friends emailed again last night, they had to sleep in a tent because they couldn't sleep with the aftershocks because the house is still rattling, the heart breaking moment for them was picking up the kids from school and finding 400 hundred+ children sitting in a large field crying with hysteria, it breaks your f#####g heart.  :'(

[caroline7758]

My son rang from Australia this morning to tell me that his friend's body was recovered from the rubble of the restaurant where he worked. So sad, and my son seems sooo far away when I want to give him a big hug. :'(

[ripley]

Caroline, I am so sorry to hear this sad news.

My son traveled Aus etc last year and I'm glad to say he is now home. But they have to go on their adventures and life experiences which the large majority come back from safe and enriched from their travels.

My heart goes out to your friends family- also my prayers.

Love Ripley

[mat]

I am so sorry Caroline.  >:(  It must be very hard for your son.

[caroline7758]

Thanks for your thoughts. It's very moving reading all the comments on the guy's facebook site, and all the messages of support for my son from his friends,too. Facebook isn't all bad.

[cornykev]

Very,very sad news Caroline.  :'(

[Squash64]

So sorry to hear this sad news Caroline.

[grannyjanny]

So sorry to hear the sad news Caroline.

[1066]

sorry to hear about your son's friend Caroline. It will be a tough time for him, but as you say with all the IT now (things like facebook) we can all keep in contact so much more easily.

I've travelled lots and was in Thailand at the time of the Tsunami, so frightening for everyone back home wondering where we were, registered as missing with the FO. Brings it all back home again.

Truly scary when these natural disasters hit and so sad to hear of the lives lost, particularly the young.