Auckland Earthquake - Some Mistake Surely?

  • David Slack,

    There's an interesting discussion going on at TradeMe about tonight's earthquakes.

    You leave Wellington and the damn things follow you north. Feel free to report in with your observations.

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report Reply

30 Responses

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  • Brendan Cameron,

    I was duly typing away on my work PC when I felt a little shudder. At first I thought it was my imagination untill a couple of colleagues came to ask me if I felt it? Certainly did albeit in a, hmm did that just happen or do I need another cup of something kind way.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 7 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Watching Ep 16 of 'Heroes', fresh off the wire. Most exciting. Totally missed the earthquake.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Compie,

    You lucky buggers,

    I love earthquakes (well anything under dangerous). Having lived in Hokitika you get uused to these things. They are so powerful (geography geek) and a great reminder of who/what is in charge.

    My two fav were when I was young lying on my bed reading and next second I was on the floor, it was like someone had done a wave with a rug - just one big bump.

    Second and most embarrising Franz Joseph Glacier in the pub on the toilet (literally) and it sounded like someone was jumping on ceiling, I came out of the tolet to the whole pub erupting in laughter at me.

    Dunedin/Vancouver • Since Nov 2006 • 114 posts Report Reply

  • reece palmer,

    yeah I definitely felt the shudder, my house moved a bit but nothing fell or was dislodged etc. I live right next to the western train line and while my initial thought was earthquake, put it down to a train that passed moments later. Guess I can cross that off the list of things to do before you die.

    the terraces • Since Nov 2006 • 298 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    I was sitting on the couch and it felt like someone had lifted the couch up and was shaking it, but I could also tell that my entire rickety old 1930s flat was shaking too.

    I get a fair bit of rumblings from living on a main arterial route, but it was much more rumbly than that.

    And with a quickness, it was over. No dogs were barking, no alarms were bleeping. The traffic keep on rumbling past, and I thought, "Hm. I really should get my survival kit in order."

    I'm sure most Wellington visitors would have been like "Pft! Woteva!"

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Geonet (part of the EQC) has a report on the 'quake, and a form to fill in with your experiences.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • reece palmer,

    what a pity those godawful scene apartments didn't fall into the harbour, could've been the foundation of a stadium paid for by the earthquake commission. heh.

    the terraces • Since Nov 2006 • 298 posts Report Reply

  • reece palmer,

    with the obvious disadvantage that hundreds could have been killed etc. but they are nasty apartments, a blot on the landscape even.

    the terraces • Since Nov 2006 • 298 posts Report Reply

  • Tze Ming Mok,

    Was in De Post Mt Eden catching up with a mate who had been working on the Global Witness Blood Diamonds campaign for several years as the civil society rep on the Kimberly Process policy negotiations. We were trying to figure out whether some political process are so completely dominated by corporate interests that there is literally no difference to be made in engaging with policy and institutional power structures, even if it sounds very impressive to be the civil society representative for the Kimberly Process policy negotiations. Mobile rang. Dad in Mt Roskill: "Ming! Did you feel the earthquake?" Me: "...No?"

    All the neighbours came out onto the street, apparently, and they all gossiped for ages. It was big in Mt Roskill.

    SarfBank, Lunnin' • Since Nov 2006 • 154 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    The Herald has a collection of reader comments. They're quite interesting to read through.

    Some of my favourites:

    "Called out to my husband in the other room to see if he felt it, but was playing xbox and thought it was the controller vibrating he felt."

    "Was kinda hoping it was Wellington slipping into the ocean. Sad to say its still there"

    "Our chandeliers also swayed back and forth, it was very frightening."

    "Felt sharp jolt. Thought the volcano must have started but couldn't see anything from the deck. Let us know if it has. That'd be good. Ta."

    And here's one for Reece:

    We are situated on the 13th floor of Scene 3 Apartments, 30 Beach Rd situated in front of the ports of Auckland. We were sitting on the bed watching television when we felt a shudder run through the building from the lounge through to the bedroom. My husband was quite worried as he knows buildings such as this are not supposed to shake as such.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • matthewbuchanan,

    A good 4-second nudge here...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 163 posts Report Reply

  • reece palmer,

    cheers Robyn, heard from mike beggs lately? been trying to catch up after Dr John was back over hols

    the terraces • Since Nov 2006 • 298 posts Report Reply

  • Trakman,

    was sitting on my computer chair and it felt like a massive wave went under me; picking me up and dropping me down. It only lasted about 3-4 seconds, but was really strong, I'm on the second floor!

    my mother and sister felt quite ill during it, it must have been the pressure wave.

    wasn't sure whether to run outside or stay put - there are 4 floors above me and didn't want to get crushed or trapped.

    I was thinking 'is something bigger going to follow up or were these just aftershocks?'

    on talkback someone said there hasn't been an earthquake over 4 on the richter scale in auckland since '72 - this one was 4.5

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • Matt Jeffs,

    Blimey. Just read the news at work here in the UK on the Stuff website. Hope all is okay down there in the Shakey Isles. Forgot that Auckland isn't used to quakes. Used to have 'em all the time in Whakatane when I was a kid.
    Some of the readers comments on NZ Herald website are classic.
    A couple I've pasted in:

    'I have to say that rumble couldn't have come at a more intense time while watching Lost. Well we thought so. Everyone thought the big bass drop effect that plays on lost before the adverts shakes the house with the subwoofer.'

    'I live in Hillcrest and while reading the last of the articles I hadn't finished from the Herald on Sunday about Stephen Flemming, my chair moved like a rocker for about 2-3seconds. Haven't felt one for years.
    Not as strong as the one I experienced in Taurang back in 1963'

    'Live in Albany. Felt absolutely nothing - what earthquake?'

    UK - ex Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 36 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    I'm sure most Wellington visitors would have been like "Pft! Woteva!"

    pretty much.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Heh, I was on the phone chatting to my daughter and she said, "f#uck someones under my bed", I thought, this'll be interesting, she hopped round for a bit gingerly searching under said bed, it stopped, no one under the bed, we continued talking.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Jeez, is Sean Plunket going to spend all morning sneering about softy Aucklanders freaking out about earthquakes?

    Mate, some of us didn't even notice.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • David Slack,

    Some of us did notice, and some of us spent a few minutes explaining to our frightened 7 year old what she had just experienced for the first time.

    We told her what it was like for Mum and Dad growing up in the lower North Island where they have them all the time, and explained why you would get under a table if it really started rocking. We didn't tell her that when the big one hits Wellington, people might die. She would probably have spent the night fretting about her cousins.

    Clearly, it varied across the city. We didn't notice the first one at all, but the second one was a decent thump that lasted a few seconds and gave the house a fair old shaking. The TV picture momentarily ghosted too, which was a nice echo of the museum's volcanic eruption simulator.

    I've been in bigger and more sustained ones, but I've also had a lot that were slighter than this. The point is, what's commonplace in one place is unremarkable, but what's scarcely happened in living memory in another is more noteworthy.

    I see Stuff is adopting the same tones as Sean Plunket talking about Aucklanders "running into the streets". Sheesh. We'll still send choppers and blankets when you need them.

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    The Auckland vs Wellington thing is really tedious, shades of Top Town. BTW, did anyone see the Unauthorised Version of NZ History the other night, will it be available on YouTube? Looking at images of NZ in say, 1987, boy have we come a long way.
    I was wondering if blogs are speeding up the dialogs, if so hopefully Sean may read some and realize that intra-city smugness is like so last century.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    Was kinda hoping it was Wellington slipping into the ocean. Sad to say its still there

    vs.

    Jeez, is Sean Plunket going to spend all morning sneering about softy Aucklanders freaking out about earthquakes?

    All good stuff. I find that volcanic time bomb Auckland is sitting on terrifying.

    I was hoping it would give Aklers and appreciation of the daily risk to life and limb that we run down here to keep the country ticking along. No more sneering about long socked bureaucrat's with their noses in a trough, please. Those are survival socks, double as sleeping bags, tourniquets and emergency water filters.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Morrison,

    I find that volcanic time bomb Auckland is sitting on terrifying.

    Actually a new volcano could be just the centre piece Auckland needs now we won't get a waterfront stadium. If an eruption occurred in the Gulf and didn't interfere too much with shipping lanes then we could all sit in a Mission Bay cafe quaffing our Chardonnays appreciating the spectacle in complete safety. Guy Fawkes all year round.

    It's Taupo where I'd never buy a house.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    Neil, who said Aucklanders lack vision. I have heard that Trevor Mallard would like it in the same location as the proposed stadium.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    It's Taupo where I'd never buy a house.

    Quite. Auckland would get a new mountain. Taupo gets a very large hole in the earth.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Matt Bowden,

    Thought it was something I ate, but the whole house was moving, and I've been on best behaviour for so long, wife decided it was an earthquake.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 6 posts Report Reply

  • Heather Gaye,

    Was there a teeny one yesterday early afternoon as well, like 3pm? I thought I felt a shudder, but I wasn't sure whether it was a quake or a truck passing.

    Used to have 'em all the time in Whakatane when I was a kid.

    Ha, snap. Were you around for the big one in '87?

    Quite. Auckland would get a new mountain. Taupo gets a very large hole in the earth.

    ..and the jury's still out on whether Wellington would get more real estate, or fall into the sea.

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts Report Reply

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