Quake

At 4.35 am today I awoke to the clattering of blinds and the shaking of everything around me.

I sat up. Prayed a number of Hail Mary's. Then I raced into the living room to get Cousteau. He gladly followed me up the hall to my room, where he jumped on to my bed and curled up in a tiny ball. He didn't make a sound from start to finish.

Pio was nowhere to be seen. I don't like him to be outside at night so feared that he might have slipped out when my flatmate, Es, left for work at 3.45 am. I called at the door. No response.

I got out his food bucket and suddenly a wide-eyed ball of fluff threw himself at me from under the couch. He managed a few mouthfuls before bolting into my room and diving under the bed covers.

The next after shock had Cousteau whimpering and Pio shaking.

I stayed put with my two boys, calling friends to make sure they were okay and my family to let them know that I was.

Pretty darned scary.

Still, we got off lightly. A fright, a few wonky pictures and a few less heartbeats a piece were all we suffered.

Many lost so much. Houses. Businesses. Drive-ways. Everything.

Thank goodness we live 25 km north of Christchurch. It was a 7.4 (or there abouts) and was South of Christchurch so it was somewhat diluted by the time it got to us.

Here is a wee selection of the carnage we saw when we went into town earlier.

Apparently the after shocks could go on for days.

Thank you for all the kind messages I have already received from concerned blip friends.

We're all fine.