Well again due to the high standards of the building codes in New Zealand the Christchurch Earthquake have presented in unusual ways new twists on normal ones.
First there is the issue of what here in New Zealand is known as rubber necking. Not the game but people driving around to see what the damage is as they didn't suffer that badly.
People not in the quake zone might think everything is destroyed here in Christchurch. Actually though it was an experience & a half, even for someone who has been close to a suicide bombing or two, the major damage is in pockets. That in the centre of the city in particular is mainly due to older buildings that haven't yet received earthquake strengthening. Other areas is due to high liquifaction of the soils. Though continuing largish aftershocks (we have just had two as I wrote that) have damaged buildings even in good areas or of more recent construction.
It has meant that many are in denial that there was any major damage or just want to have a look.
This has been aggrevating for those in the worst affected areas who are trying to clean up & see if there is any chance of rebuilding their lives. There is a good possibility that tempers could lead to physical confrontations.
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The next issue comes also from the fact that despite the devastation the building code has done its job & though property has been destroyed no lives have been lost. The similar earthquake in Haiti resulted in over 250,000 dead.
On going aftershocks & even new epicentres triggered by the initial quake have had an effect on the mental well being of many with in the city. Normally people are too concerned about survival in the first week. Here in Christchurch so much good effort has gone in despite the rubber neckers, that quite quickly normal services have been able to be restored to the majority of the city.
In the country areas farmers have just got on with the life of farming ensuring their animals are cared for.
But even those living in undamaged areas have had enough of the constant aftershocks & mentally they can no longer deal with the not knowing if the next one is another big one.
So People are leaving in larger numbers by the day. It is a sign for the scum to start burglaries in particular in the worst affected areas.
A former army comrade posted an idea for a sign that he thought would be good & anecdotal evidence is that people are now using it. "You loot we shoot".
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Then we have the idiot brigade in particular the boy racers, whom even on Saturday night thought since all the police were tied up doing such good work that they would wreck havoc in their normal manner.
There are also the scammers who are already taking advantage of tired & stressed people. Some of us due to our training & life experience thrive in these conditions, but most are so stressed that they take what they think is geniune help to only find they have been hit another body blow.
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To commit crimes at times like these is the lowest of the low. In particular considering how lucky Christchurch really is & that is help at hand.
Most places in the world would not of come out this well off & that has changed the dynamics a little. A 7.1 earthquake & within six days, yes a lot of buildings are going to have to be replaced some jobs lost, but to have no deaths & the majority of services restored is probably the best result you could want.
But by been so lucky it has created its own issues with denial, mentally & in the commision of crime.
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