Subtratain shake-up down in Andrews neigborhood

[Marrinan]

Andrew,
Heard on the radio that the North Island had a little shake this morning-I read somewhere that it is just a question of time for you folks down under- lots of history of shakes and fire breathing mountians I beleive-hope yoiu felt nothing from this one-Fred

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Fred

Yes, earthquakes are fairly normal in our part of the world. The North Island has had a few recentley but nothing causing any real damage. Just the usual stuff with items falling off sheleves and that sort of thing.

We've had a few real good ones here in the south Island as well. Fortunatley most are not really felt by anyone. The worst one I remember was when I was lying in bed just drifting off to sleep when the earthquake hit...............it felt like a freight train going through the house at 200 miles an hour. Within about one eyeblink we had two very freaked out cats diving under the covers with us and they stayed there for the entire night.

Unfortunatley it's only a matter of time before we get the big one!!! We live in a country where the fault line goes right down the middle of both islands.

We also are a volcanic country and when Mt Tarawera erupted in 1886 it wiped out the pink and white terraces that were the 8th wonder of the world. A shame really as they must have been stunningly beauitiful judging by the paintings I've seen of them.

Mt Ruapehu erupted in 1995/6 and I happened to have to fly to Auckland around that time and it was quite spectacular seeing the big chimney of smoke and ash coming out of it. It still rumbles every now and then and is due for another one soon.

There are also quite a few other active and dorment ones as well on a much lower scale. The port of Lyttleton, which is a part of Christchurch where I live, just happens to be a dead volcano and when you look around the port hills you can see the classic lines of volcanic rock and crater rim.

Thanks for your concern, really appreciated

cheers
Andrew