Whanganui was for many years spelt Wanganui being a corruption of the spoken Maori by early settlers. As now spelt it means big mouth the ussual description of the time for a Harbour which is why it is also part of the Maori name for Wellington Whanganuiatara. The "wh" is not sounded as many try but is "aspirated" as in Why What Who and Where.
Re roads into Kaikoura - there is currently no road access except limited access from the south also giving access to Culverdon and Waiau which are even more damaged than Kaikoura. This access is limited to daily Army convoys. This area, apart from the tourism for Whale watching and the like, is important for the fishing industry and the wharves are damaged and with the seabed risen 2 metres some are high and dry. It is also an important dairying area and thousands of cows were not milked for days because of the power failures but even though most are now being milked that milk is being dumped there being no way to get it out. Several milking sheds have been destroyed and though it is still very early in the season those cows have now dried and will give no milk until after next years calving.
One of the high points of this disaster has been that it happened just as our Navy was to celebrate it's 75th birthday and a number of other Navy's were here to share that celebration and 5 of those ships did not participate because they sailed to Kaikoura to help 2 from our own Navy but also ships from Canada Australia and Japan. Then instead of being part of the grand flotilla sailing into Auckland harbour on the Birthday Thursday they had their own sail into Wellington Harbour on the Sunday except for RNZN Canterbury which is still delivering help from Lyttleton to Kaikoura.
I read someone asking about the terrain - this is a very mountainous area - so the heavy damage to road and rail as both are situated at the base mountains that come right down to the sea, so these settlements are on slightly flatter valleys in this terrain but very tight building standards and being relatively young in settlement also are some protection. One of the unexpected anomilies of this quake has been the modernity of some commercial buildings in Wellington now needing demolition, especially parking buildings.
2 more good shakes last evening one originating in that southern area and 1 north of Wellington in an area recently defined as being part of a high risk area on a fault line passing from north of Wellington across the middle of the North Island to the coast well north east of here, apparently that has been made more at risk by the the recent big quakes but 1 or those was also on this line just a few miles north east of here and not so far from the Volcanos in the centre of the North Island.
NZ quake/tsunami
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- kingfisher68
- Posts: 514
- Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:16 pm
- Location: UK
Re: NZ quake/tsunami
Thanks so much for all the information. It was me, Izzi, who asked about the terrain as on the TV news it looked varied. Quite a few roads going very near the sea. It was fortunate that naval ships from other countries happened to be in the area at the time of the earthquake although, of course, a shame the naval display was unable t o take place after all the planning which must have had to be done.
Glad you are OK, God bless & take care.
Glad you are OK, God bless & take care.
Izzi
Believe you can & you will
WIP
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Believe you can & you will
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Re: NZ quake/tsunami
The planned 75th birthday Naval procession into Auckland Harbour did happen but was 5 ships short of the original plan but still spectacular with many nations represented including one "training" ship in full sail"
4 of Kaikoura's school reopened today,kids found it good to be back and to return to friends and routines but as much as parents were relieved it was also difficult to seperate for the first time since the quake. 2 Schools are still to open as they await repairs delayed by the difficulties of getting building materials through to them.
Today Government predicts their costs to be in excess of $3B and I guess our insurance premiums will go up again after considerable increases after the Christchurc quake of 6 years ago.
4 of Kaikoura's school reopened today,kids found it good to be back and to return to friends and routines but as much as parents were relieved it was also difficult to seperate for the first time since the quake. 2 Schools are still to open as they await repairs delayed by the difficulties of getting building materials through to them.
Today Government predicts their costs to be in excess of $3B and I guess our insurance premiums will go up again after considerable increases after the Christchurc quake of 6 years ago.
- kingfisher68
- Posts: 514
- Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:16 pm
- Location: UK
Re: NZ quake/tsunami
Thank you lillybit. I got the wrong of the stick didn't I? Those training ships in full sail are magnificent aren't they?
Izzi
Believe you can & you will
WIP
DMC Pleasant Row Cottages
Believe you can & you will
WIP
DMC Pleasant Row Cottages