New Zealand was hit

New Zealand


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I do not believe, it is New Zealand this time.

The earthquake hit Christchurch, its second-biggest city in South Island. Earthquake of magnitude 7.0 to 7.4. The magnitude of earthquake is similar to Haiti, yet the death toll is minimal. The quake epicenter was four miles south-southeast from Christchurch, New Zealand, on the nation's south island. Local media reports there have been strong aftershocks and power outages throughout the city.

Christchurch, The South Island city of about 348,000 people was placed under a state of emergency after the quake struck at 4:35 a.m. local time on Sept. 4, 2010.

Earthquakes occur regularly in New Zealand as the country forms part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is geologically active. About 14,000 earthquakes, most of them minor, are recorded each year. Most earthquakes in New Zealand occur along the main ranges running from Fiordland in the southwest to East Cape in the northeast. This axis follows the boundary between the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates. Large earthquakes are less common along the central Alpine Fault, where the plates are not subducting and the forces are accommodated in different ways.

The largest city within this high risk zone is the nation's capital, Wellington, followed by Napier and Hastings. All these cities have experienced severe earthquakes since European settlement.

The 1848 earthquake, centred in Marlborough, caused great damage to the brick and masonry buildings in Wellington, and the city was rebuilt mainly in wood; consequently it suffered comparatively little damage in the 8.2 magnitude earthquake of 1855, which lifted the land 2–3m. New Zealand’s most powerful recorded earthquake occurred in January 1855 with an estimated magnitude of 8.2. Early settlers learned fairly quickly the importance of using appropriate building methods in an earthquake-prone country.

Compared to Haiti, China; New Zealand and Chile had less casualty from the earthquake. Is it because the name is Christchurch, there is blessing from God?, or is it because the government there are responsible and committed government which imposed strictly the appropriate building methods, and monitor the situation better?. The responsible government, without corruption and single minded in enforcing the appropriate building policy. The people are also another factor who understand the policy, and complied with it. China and Haiti will need to learn the lesson from Chile and New Zealand, this revealed that proper precaution measures are much better than post earthquake salvation. We cannot prevent earthquake, but we can prevent or reduce the worst impact to the people....

Someone said with a responsible government, the people will benefited. That may be true, who care about their political philosophy.....

We just pray that New Zealand will rebuild from earthquake soon.