our temporary roof repair

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

Christchurch city on the day of the 2010 earthquake.

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

The 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck at about 4:35 am. Thankfully, the day was warm and still (unlike the cold driving rain and hail of yesterday afternoon).

removing the chimney

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Robbie and Nicola watch Laura and a helpful neighbour remove the broken chimney.

sealing the roof

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Laura Young and I tying down tarps over the hole in the roof. We did what we could to tie it down with tension and weigh it down with bricks tied to the tarps. Why? Because gale-force winds are predicted for tomorrow (Sunday) and rain on Tuesday.

removing the chimney

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

The chimney busted right through the wooden beam holding up the roof. I'm told it may an alarming noise.

earthquake + brick chimney = hole in roof

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Our neighbours, Laura and Robbie, were unlucky enough to have their chimney fall into the roof rather than off the house.

removing the chimney

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Laura and her neighbour getting the chimney down before it comes through their ceiling. Ominous cracks were growing in the ceiling.

old iMac down

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

(It was already opened up mid-way through a repair. But it wasn't on the floor!)

chimney versus roof

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Roof lost. This was not that uncommon a site around the neighbourhood.

sand volcano

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

sand volcano

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Debra points at the beginnings of a sand volcano not long after the big earthquake.

neighbours survey the sand volcanos

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Lots of people were out and about in the streets checking on everyone after the earthquake. When it was clear that everyone was OK, the sand volcanos became the feature of interest.

sand volcano

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

And, yes, the newspaper always gets through! The Press newspapers were delivered in our area of Hoon Hay in the hours after the earthquake.

Sand volcanos cover Rydal Street

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

This has made a huge mess for the residents to clean up. I heard on the news that homes have been damaged by subsidence in areas of earthquake-caused liquefaction like this.

sand volcano

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

sand volcano

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

Footpath cracks next to Rydal Park.

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Sand volcanoes put the silt all over the road.

sand volcano

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

sand volcano versus path

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

sand volcano landscape

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

sand volcano tours

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Yes, it was a joke. The tours, that is, not the yard filled with earthquake-caused sand volcanos. They were very real. You can see one covering the driveway in this photo. The signs read as follows. "Tours run 1/2 hourly. $5.25 admission. Eftpos unavailable." "If you think this is bad... you should see the back!"

sand volcano in our front lawn

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

sand volcano versus driveway

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

sand volcano in a Wyn Street lawn

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

sand volcano crater

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

An usual thing to see coming from the ground in Hoon Hay, Christchurch.

Rydal Park sand volcano

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

These were scattered across the park.

sand volcano versus lawn

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

sand volcano versus shed

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

None

Robbie and his new lawn feature

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

One of the many sand volcanos erupting from the ground after the Christchurch earthquake.

A new crack in the footpath in Rydal Park.

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Cracks in the roads and foot paths were surprisingly hard to find given the strength of the earthquake.