Daily Lessons from Life 24 December 2011 - Quakes overshadow Christmas in New Zealand

"Quakes overshadow Christmas in New Zealand - AFP 24 December 2011

WELLINGTON: Aftershocks continued to rattle the earthquake-shattered New Zealand city of Christchurch Saturday overshadowing Christmas preparations for weary residents in a "hellish year".

The unrelenting series of tremors, several stronger than magnitude 5.0, had the city on edge again 10 months after a devastating quake claimed 181 lives and destroyed much of the inner city.

Emergency services Saturday were rushing to restore electricity and water supplies and an army of 2,000 volunteers were helping clean up the worst affected suburbs by Christmas Day.

"There is a real determination in our city not to let the events of the past 24 hours ruin Christmas. Our crews have worked overnight and will be working all today to restore services to the city," Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said.

"Our goal is that by the end of the day we will have made the necessary emergency repairs to our water, wastewater and roads.

"It has been a hellish year. I am determined to get as much as we can fixed by tonight so that our staff, apart from a skeleton team, can spend Christmas with their families.""

It is a distressing thought that such a natural disaster is ever present now for the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. A country where I did my univeristy degree study and now have relatives living there on a permanent basis though in Auckland city.

Lessons for me are:

1. would people move out of such an unstable geographical location now that it seems likely the earthquakes will continue to happen and the magnitude is not something one can predict if the BIG ONE will hit or not? It is logical and perfectly understandable if they do. Yet, many emotionally could not pull themselves to make such a life changing decision;

2. will the faith of the people who stay be repaid with good fortune or will they suffer even more pains and heartbreaks or even lose their lives IF the BIG ONE did come along? Will they are happy to go in such a manner? to be with the home and the land they have grown to love? An unthinkable question that I hope will NEVER have to be answered. Distressing for me...;

3. can a city of 300+k people be relocated to another place maybe just far enough to be away from the frequent tremors and allow people to have a reasonably stable environment to build their homes again? Maybe another 100-200km away from the present city of Chritchurch? Would the people consider such an option? It can be done if it is planned that way. No?

On this Chirstmas eve, I just hope things will be better for the people of Christchurch. I will never know how it is like to be there. Yet I know it will appreciate anyone who expressed care and concern for them.

Peace to the world.