Christchurch Quake: Hundreds Saved

So unless you live in a cave. In which case you don't have the internet and you aren't reading this. Shame on you! Go get a job. And a place to live. And a computer. Then read my blog!
Anyway. Back on Topic.

There was a massive earthquake in Christchurch today!

A quake of 7.1 is a big quake, with the potential for plenty if destruction and loss of life. And it was centered close to a major city. And it was reasonably shallow. So why are there not hundreds of people dead?
To compare. The Hati Earthquake that struck near the Hatian capital on the 12th of January this year was magnitude 7 and killed around 100,000 people. The 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China was magnitude 8.0 and killed upwards of 70,000.

The reason that these quakes are so devastating in these areas is due to the construction of buildings and quality of the emergency services available. We live in a country that has the technology and the resources and know how to build homes and business that won't catastrophically fail in a reasonable sized quake. And we have the resources and systems in place too ensure that help can be dispatched to any that need it when these disasters strike.

This makes me think about living here in wellington. There is going to be a large earthquake here at some stage. It's an inevitable consequence of living on a fault line. So what to do if an earthquake strikes? Well, as I said. most buildings are built to strict codes that ensure they can survive a moderate quake and not collapse. but that doesn't mean you should consider your self perfectly safe inside. If you are at home or in a small building. The best option is to get to cover under a table or similar furniture item. Avoid any windows and glass as these can become a significant hazard. If you find yourself in a high rise. The strongest part of the building is the stairwell. If your out on the street in the city center. Try and find shelter so you don't get wasted by falling glass and the like.

I hear the politicians this morning saying that we are blessed that no one has died. What a load of BS. Sure there is an element of luck. But the real reason that there are none dead is because this has been studied, thought about and planned for at length. Action has been taken that is informed by the vast body of knowledge. If you feel the need to thank anyone for this spectacular success of modern engineering and planning. Don't turn to a fictional magician in the sky. The credit belongs to the ones before us who did the science and those with the sense to see it implemented.