Latest Earthquake

Latest earthquake was a 6.3 magnitude with epicenter 10km from Christchurch and only 5km deep. It was much more intense than the initial one in September and felt like a series of violent impacts vs. the more rolling nature of the September episode.

All of us are fine. The Squidd was at home napping and slept through the entire thing (again!). Rocky was at school and ended up walking home since he and I couldn't contact each other via cell or land line and neither of us knew exactly where the other would be. He made the 6km trek in just under 2 hours, while drivers reported spending upwards of 5 hours trying to drive across the city.

Our house once again withstood the shaking, though we've noticed a few hairline cracks in the drywall here and there. A few pictures fell off the walls, shattering glass, but our other household goods are fine. All in all, we've been very lucky.

Current reports confirm 65 people have died, but the number is expected to rise as rescue efforts continue through the night. It's raining and cold and miserable outside. It's unbearable to think about the people who remain trapped in collapsed buildings and the families who anxiously await news of loved ones who continue to be out of touch.

On the upside, this disaster has introduced neighbors who were formerly strangers and has brought out the best in everyone it seems. After the quake, most folks congregated outside in driveways. We joined a group next door, and enjoyed their company immensely as we hunkered down around a camp stove boiling water for tea and hot chocolate. Another neighbor who we've never met just left here having knocked on our door to offer candles (the power was still out at that point) and to let us use her cell to text our American families. A woman down the street has a flooded flat, and several other units in her complex are in unsafe condition. So the lot of them are all sleeping together in unit #5, which remained unscathed. People are calling into the radio stations to offer shelter at their homes for strangers whose homes were destroyed. It's heartwarming and heartrending at the same time.

We're keeping our fellow Cantabrians in our thoughts tonight as we settle for bed in our own home, in our own beds, with lights on and our family intact. Hope you will do the same.