The New Reality: Tough Decisions in Christchurch & Moving On!

The plasma bites the dust on quake number 7137!

Okay its beginning to wear thin. Battle fatigue the Army call it. That is when you have been constantly in the firing line, dealing with ever present danger, concerned for those around you and trying to enjoy some of the basic comforts in life such as warmth, food, running hot water, flush toilets. Sound like Afghanistan? Try Redcliffs, Christchurch or much of our munted city.

Last Monday, after the first big shock hit and after evacuating the office along with the rest of the city, text messages showed all family present and accounted for.  We could not contact the school due to phone overload so I headed out to Redcliffs (a 20 min drive) to check. Caetana was OK as was the school, I went home while I was there and noted a plate had broken falling off the bench and then I returned to the office. I had just walked in and was standing near my desk when the 6.3 hit.

Evacuating again, after the floor went jelly like and rolled the whole building back and forwards, all we could hear were alarms of buildings and emergency services sirens. Time to head home. A call from home suggested our house was damaged and that we may not get back in. At that point I felt sick. Where would we go (my brothers house is destroyed)? It was at this point I realised how vulnerable the people of Christchurch really are. You cannot find houses to rent. You struggle to get houses fixed at the moment.

After over 7000 earthquakes we had finally had bricks fall off the house. Structurally it was sound. Inside it was a mess. The usual lack of power, water and sewerage of course. On top of that all our possessions upturned. Pictures down, crockery smashed, Plasma TV screen smashed (that really pissed me off), bookshelves emptied, wine glasses smashed.

Mt Manganui Beach. A good place to be.

The last bloody straw really, but also an understanding that we were lucky. No injuries, our house not affected by liquifaction (as so many have a third or fourth time) and at least still inhabitable.  A third EQC claim (first one still hasn't been actioned by EQC), power came on within 24 hours, showers at work until the water back on after 72 hours (our city is getting good at this) and a tradesman scratching his head at our brick damage (how do I start this?) are now part of the new norm.

Some real considerations moving forward just jump out at me. Any of us could be hurt simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This could be a norm for many years and no one can control it. The rebuild of Christchurch needs strong leadership and some tough decisions. It is mid winter and people are less resilient than they were in mid Summer. People are serious about leaving our city and who isn't?

Last Thursday I worked in Tauranga and there were a number of business people who told me that dealing with Canterbury based businesses was tough at present. "They don't have their heads on straight right now" and "They are shell shocked and not making good decisions" were two such comments which highlighted to me just how obvious it is to outsiders.

I'm also media saturated. I don't want to see another "guided tour of the Red Zone"! It was stuffed in February and nothing has changed! Piss off with the never ending "suffering" type news! It is wearing a bit thin that everybody automatically feels sorry for the "Christchurch people". I cringe as soon as I see a headline with a presenter standing next to the worst building or in a foot of grey water.

I think even the most staunch Cantabrians and the most resilient are right now asking questions. What is next? What if this continues? Where are the big decisions? We are over it!

Now pass that bottle of wine over thanks and lets watch the Crusaders win the Super 14!