its terrible slimfern, i think the death toll will rise sadly dont you.

It's very sad

Reckon it will Justafriend unfortunately


I don't know why, but I always imagine New Zealand to be one of those safe countries - like us.
Safe as in free from constant Natural disasters..

yeah agree slimfern i thought that about Aus as well, the worlds gone mad everywhere this year.

This map shows the pacific "Ring of fire" volcanic/Earthquake zones etc.New Zealand is bang in the middle of it.

I've just seen some footage of this on the news - how terrifying must that be?

Apparantly it's the second earthquake in 5 months.

I had no idea the NZ was ever at risk.I had never heard of the ring of fire until today!.

me neither Erin - scarey stuff !

My brother lives in New Zealand.....albeit the other island (The north one) and he says he constantly gets tremors

Crikey!  I know I hate the English weather - but we are damned lucky here when all is said & done


Edited: Hate the Government aswell btw

Does anyone else think the same as me.........it's all this underground testing and stuff they're sending into the sky? it must be having some impact on the earth/atmosphere 

Hadn't really thought about it tbh - but you could have something there!

The testing must have some knock on effect ...somewhere !

I do! My fella and i were discussing this  a few weeks ago after watching some deep sea drilling programme...(we live such exciting lives)...surely it must have an impact on the Earths axis keep drilling for oil and taking things out of the Earth as well as sending stuff into space.......

.....my friend lives a couple of hours away from Christchurch and she told me the tremors were really quite strong even so far away.....

I pray that the death toll doesn't rise much more.....

On a Forum I visit there are several members who live in NZ. One of them lives and works in Christchurch. With the first quake in September her house was damaged and only recently were they able to start the repairs after dealing with the Insurance company. Since Septemember she's regularly - like almost every week or so - told us of more earth tremors under the house and in her area which haven't been reported on the news over here. She recently posted pics of buildings, shops and homes that weren't repaired since Septemeber. She got so used to the tremors them she could gauge what scale they were. We've all been amazed at her positive attitude throughout it all.


After the new quake hit it was a couple of days before she could contact another member in NZ by text to say her house has once again taken a lot of damage and has almost collapsed. She, her hubby, 2 children and 2 pets have had to leave and go to stay with friends a few miles outside Christchurch. We've not heard any more for a few days but we're all keeping her and everyone in the area in our thoughts.

My mother used to say that 50 years ago. I'm sorry spuddy sproooot darling, but I didn't believe it then and I don't believe it now. We've populated this planet over the years, but that doesn't mean that it stops doing what it has more than likely done for gazillions of years. My mother also used to quote the bible whenever there was a natural disaster (generally Genesis and I know a lot about the four horsemen of the Apocalypse).  She'd be in overdrive atm. Sorry mum, love you.

Sprooty, I think that NZ is on a natural faultline and they have a number of termors/quakes during the year, but yes hun, I do agree that what we re doing to the planet (and all the experiments and messing about and so on,) is having an adverse affect on it.  People have every right to not think there is any connection though, but I don't personally see how anyone can deny that the appalling way we treat our planet isn't having a negative affect on it.    I wouldn't get into a debate about it though because I believe what I believe and wouldnt be swayed or talked out of it by anyone, and nor would I try and change anyone's elses mind either...

I basically agree with you Sparkles. Yes there are countries that will be more prone to Earthquakes than others because of geological factors - and poor infra structure in some countries makes the devastation and death toll higher than others. The testing and explosions under the Oceans are interfering with the natural world and there's bound to be a consequence. There's also the natural cycles to consider that recurs over thousands or tens of thousands of years. There's also HAARP to consider and how that is affecting the planet. We're heading towards the end of a 26.000 year cycle and the beginning of a new one which some believe will be very different to what we've been experiencing for a very long time. So many beliefs, so many personal truths, what the Ultimate truth is, who knows

I really think that the ultimate truth is that the planet does what it has always done. If Homo Sapien managed to survive the Ice Age, I'm sure we can survive whatever else Nature decides to throw at us and if we don't, I believe it's the fate that all nature has to face.

Re: Cologne's post.  It strikes me as somewhat narrow minded, to state that your own view is the 'ultimate truth.'  At least the previous posters say that it's only what 'they' believe' and aren't saying that they are correct; which is what you seem to be implying...  So this earth has survived with all the crap that has been thrown at it in the past?   True, but who says man didn't cause it in the past.?  You don't know that.  I also believe that what we're doing to the planet is taking its toll.  But nobody really knows, and nobody knows if it is us doing it now.  I believe it is, like many others do, but we aren't suggesting or stating that we are right.  People are entitled to believe what they want.  The upshot is that nobody knows for sure.

May be that's why Cologne qualified her statement when she began with "I really think that ..." instead of, for example, "The Ultimate truth is that...."