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A car is damaged by debris in Christchurch - Source: ONE News -
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The South Island's day of devastation yesterday has hit headlines worldwide, with reports on the Canterbury earthquake and fatal plane crash which killed nine, including four tourists.
The Irish Times detailed the death of Irishman Patrick Byrne, 26, from Gorey, County Wexford, who had been on a working visa when he was killed in Saturday's light aircraft crash at Fox Glacier Airport.
The Irish Independent also interviewed an expatriate Irish carpenter now living in Kaiapoi who had a "lucky escape" after being caught up in their first quake since moving here in 2005.
John Thornton, who is originally from Dundrum in Dublin, told how he was awoken by the violent shaking and he and his New Zealand wife Cathy rushed to their two children, Jake (eight) and Kayligh (six).
"I woke up because I thought I heard the noise of a train and then I realised it was an earthquake. We're only about 30km away from the epicentre and the whole house started rocking backwards and forwards.
"My first thought was the kids but when I got up I was thrown against a wall. We managed to get to the kids and the four of us just sheltered under a table. It lasted no more than a minute but it was very violent ... It's probably the longest minute of your life when you're being thrown about," he added.
Thornton immediately contacted his family back home in Ireland to reassure them that he, his wife and the children were uninjured.
Thornton said it was the first major quake they had experienced.
"We've had a few little rattles before, but I certainly noticed this one."
In Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald headlines included Picking up the Pieces in Shaken Isle, while the Melbourne Age wrote of the quake which "shut down Christchurch".
It also reported that 18-year-old Glenn Bourke of Coburg, Victoria, was among nine killed in a plane crash.
In Britain, the Guardian headlines on the Curfew in Quake-hit Christchurch after police told residents to stay indoors overnight to avoid aftershocks.
It also mentions that Kiwi schoolchildren regularly undertook earthquake drills, and reported on the death of British Skydiver Brad Coker, 24, in yesterday's air crash.
The BBC reported on the aftershocks rattling Christchurch and the nine dead in skydive plane crash.
In the United States, the LA Times headlines Buildings collapse in NZ quake, reporting how chimneys were knocked to the ground, residents knocked off their feed and roads cracked in half.
The San Francisco Chronicle detailed how the earthquake smashed buildings, cracked roads and twisted railway lines and ripped a new 3.5 metre fault in the earth's surface.
It quotes Victoria University earth scientist Martha Savage who said our building codes meant our building structures were strong compared with Haiti, which suffered widespread damage and fatalities in a 7.0 quake earlier this year.
CNN and USA Today both reported on the plane crash.
The Times of India also reported on the earthquake and plane crash, while the Himalayan Times quoted John Key as saying it was a "miracle" no one was killed, citing 29 aftershocks so far recorded.
Did you experience the Canterbury quake? Do you have images or video or CCTV footage of the earthquake? Send them into news@tvnz.co.nz
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentgordy said on 2010-09-09 @ 13:59 NZDT: Report abusive post
Im my 51 years on this earth I have never felt so pertrified..my first thoughts was we had been hit by a nuclear bomb and it was Armageddon. Never ever want to experience it again
schicken said on 2010-09-08 @ 19:15 NZDT: Report abusive post
I thought the same thing initially. However, another quake big enough to close or shift the cracks further is likely to be heard first and all the kids will most likely be fine. If a child does get swallowed up, I'm probably not going to have huge empathy for the media coverage or their parents, but until then, let the region have a little bit of fun. Education about health risks regarding contaminated water may be a good idea for all. :)
thinkaboutit said on 2010-09-06 @ 23:06 NZDT: Report abusive post
More great coverage tonight TVNZ especially highlighting the situation at individual community levels where people reported they felt abandoned. All credit to those organising themselves into community working groups at this level despite this. Arguably the recovery process would be greatly enhanced if these community groups were psychologically and practically supported by establishing official coordination centres at individual community levels.
Madeleine Ware said on 2010-09-06 @ 17:31 NZDT: Report abusive post
You're making some good points here. Perhaps some of the donations could be towards purchasing and setting up storage of these sorts of things. Individuals are also responsible for making their own preparations. I clean and keep old 3L juice bottles filled with water. Every now and then I water my house plants with one and refill it to refresh it.
Madeleine Ware said on 2010-09-06 @ 17:25 NZDT: Report abusive post
Why are they buying water? Aren't there several tankers about the city giving it away?