EARTHQUAKE!

[Ian Warren]

They are longer after shakes .. they seem last a good rolling 30 seconds had one an hour back, just seemed to keep going.

[emfrat]

Good to see everyone's OK.
I had thoughts of flying into CH for Omaka and getting the train to Blenheim (I 'collect' trains like that) and picking up a rental car there but by the look of things I won't even be driving to get there

[deaneb]

Good to see everyone's OK.
I had thoughts of flying into CH for Omaka and getting the train to Blenheim (I 'collect' trains like that) and picking up a rental car there but by the look of things I won't even be driving to get there

Nope - the only way to drive between ChCh and Blenheim is via the Lewis pass and that road is only open during daylight hours, is reduced to a single lane in parts and will add 3 hours to the trip. I doubt the coast road via Kaikoura will be open to normal traffic before Xmas.

[Ian Warren]

Mike I would think the main link .. state hwy 1 would be opened really quick , same with rail , that would be the first considerations and primary ... they get people in and they can't get people out ... then add the commercial worry's ... that would again would be on the top off the list !

[emfrat]

I'm sure it will be, but it is not just a simple matter of bulldozing the debris into the ocean and laying down a bit of bitumen. Omaka is in April - DeaneB's estimate looks pretty right to me, provided nothing else happens in the meantime.

[Ex ANZ Eng]

It's going to take a long time to get SH1 open again, with all the slips on the coast having to be cleared, and then the cliffs stabilised, I think it will be a lot like the Manawatu gorge closure.
Plus they have to check the tunnels, and if any of those are shown to have been weakened, more delays.
Worse part is they can only work on one slip at a time at each end, plus there are bound to be some movement in the road surfaces as well.
I have a lot of customers stuck on the ferries, and even if they did get unloaded at Picton, no way of getting the freight down to CHCH.
This is really major all right, and with Xmas just around the corner, not a good scenario.

Cheers
Phil

[cezeta]

Keep Strong guys!

[Ian Warren]

I have a lot of customers stuck on the ferries, and even if they did get unloaded at Picton, no way of getting the freight down to CHCH.
This is really major all right, and with Xmas just around the corner, not a good scenario.

Going to be interesting to see how they are going to approach this , set camps and have 24 hour shifts , I maybe has buggered up a lot of peoples plans , as you said Phil , Xmas is only six weeks away but people have always started early , five days before for some to get North then add all goods and product , quickest way to get things moving there all south bound goods loaded on container ship to Lyttleton visa versa to Wellington or further , guess that will already be in the planing .

[dbcunnz]

Some of the freight will be trucked from Picton to Christchurch and back loads through Murchison and over the Lewis Pass making it a much longer journey.

[Ex ANZ Eng]

Yeah the Lewis pass option through to Picton is the only other route available.
Was talking to one of my customers only an hour or so ago, and he was saying that even on that route all bridges must be crossed at a snails pace.
Also, that way wasn't designed for H-Max 50 tonne 9 axle truck and trailers or 9 axle b-trains.
I just hope everyone takes it easy on that road, we don't need anymore fatalities.

[Ian Warren]

Phil , truthfully I'm not even sure if they have a RORO ships anymore between Wellington and Lyttleton , One, shite many said about the Feb 11 earthquake , had the bridge and rail connection been knocked out .. destroyed , both ends Waimak and Rakia , that Wigram air force base would have been the Ideal FBO ... all the room to setup a hospital and other facilities .. an EVAC point for the many , lack of thinking there ..

[Fozzer]

Latest news stuff from the BBC...>>>

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-37982395

Difficult times ahead!

Paul.

[Ian Warren]

It will be interesting to see how long it dose take to open a one lane road to get things moving again, its not just the clearing the road, also its making sure the hill side is going to be stable.

[deaneb]

I recon it will be at least a year before the roads re-open. There are concerns the cost and viability may mean it can't be rebuilt. Time will tell. There is not much point in getting stuck in just yet, there will need to be a lot of surveying to to scope out just how big the job is and see if its feasible.

[Ian Warren]

Yip Indeed .. even if they got it open it would only an escort one at a time .... and only for really primary goods ... it took months in Christchurch to even really start accessing how they were going to approach it ... one of the biggest things this quake created that 30 times more energy than CHCH .. thing was six months later WHOOLOP ! and the deadly one struck .. I said on another forum, this ain't a ticking time bomb ... the fuse has already been lit , its now when and where !

[Fozzer]

Latest stuff.....>>>>

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-37996140

Warships for assistance!

Keeping up-to-date each day...

Paul.

[Lindstrim]

On Monday and Tuesday was flying WLG-CHC returns and from our cruising altitude along the coast you could see the slips blocking the road. Even the flashes from the vehicle Windows was missing. Certainly an eerie sight.

Driving from our hotel in Wellington to the airport and back on Monday and Tuesday there didn't seem to be a huge amount of damage, but no doubt on closer inspection there will be some, especially if the Christchurch one is to go by

[Ian Warren]

Paul its quite ironic, the NZ Navy and Army and Air Force were having exercises when the deadly quake hit CHCH, HMNZS Canterbury was tied in Lyttleton and turned out to be the food kitchen and hospital for the seaside harbour .... the Ironic part having another bad quake .. this time half the worlds navy's are here for the 75th doing exactly the same thing , I think those celebrations maybe put on hold .

[Ian Warren]

Driving from our hotel in Wellington to the airport and back on Monday and Tuesday there didn't seem to be a huge amount of damage, but no doubt on closer inspection there will be some, especially if the Christchurch one is to go by

I'm very sure there is going to be a worst quake going by the recent six to seven year history since they really kicked in .

[Fozzer]

Still keeping an eye on the latest news, day by day...>>>

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/ ... road-opens

Paul.