Tag Archives: New Zealand

Strong Aftershocks Hit New Zealand Following Strong Quake

A powerful aftershock shook New Zealand’s South Island Monday, just hours after being hit by a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake. “It looks as though it’s the infrastructure that’s the biggest problem,” said Civil Defense Minister Gerry Brownlee after flying over the affected area with Prime Minister John Key. A slip dam caused by earthquakes had blocked the… Continue reading Strong Aftershocks Hit New Zealand Following Strong Quake

NASA satellites discover source of mysterious volcanic debris in South Pacific

While on a routine patrol late last week a New Zealand Defense Force patrol craft spotted a massive area of pumice floating in the South Pacific from an unknown source. Teaming up with NASA, volcanologists today pinpointed the source of a raft of debris covering thousands of square miles. Read the rest of this story on Examiner.com including satellite imagery of the undersea eruption.

A photo of the pumice raft when it was first spotted by a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Orion aircraft. (RNZAF)
A photo of the pumice raft when it was first spotted by a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Orion aircraft. (RNZAF)

 

New Zealand suffers ‘darkest day’ as at least 65 killed in earthquake

A building's facade lies in the street after the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. (TwitPic / bebe33)
A building's facade lies in the street after the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. Click the image to view a slideshow. (TwitPic / bebe33)

Christchurch, New Zealand was struck by a powerful magnitude 6.3 earthquake on Tuesday that wreaked havoc across the nation’s second largest city.  Buildings were reduced to rubble and people buried alive in what is being called the ‘darkest day’ in the New Zealand history.

The quake, which struck at 12:51pm local time and at a shallow 3.1 mile depth, has been followed by a serious of significant aftershocks.  The seven additional temblors have ranged from magnitude 4.1 up to magnitude 5.6.

In September the area was struck by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake and recovery efforts from that quake were still underway when the new quake struck.  Buildings that were already weakened by last year’s quake, then the initial quake today struggled to hold up with the ongoing aftershocks.

Prime Minister John Key said, “It is just a scene of utter devastation.  We may well be witnessing New Zealand’s darkest day.”

Digging through the rubble to reach those who may yet be buried remained a priority.  At least 65 people have been confirmed killed but as rescuers continue to search collapsed buildings and they fear the toll may rise further.   Continue reading New Zealand suffers ‘darkest day’ as at least 65 killed in earthquake