Saturday, February 26, 2011

Christchurch stories

Stuff.co.nz is an umbrella site for a number of regional based newspapers, Wellington and Christchurch among them. While not without its flaws (whole other post topic there...), it does run a reasonably good general interest blog section, with bloggers ranging across a number of topics. I read many of them regularly, and while not really being personally affected by the earthquake in any way, waiting for the Christchurch based journalist bloggers (none of whom I have ever met in person) to check in and reassure their readers of their safety was a mild source of concern as the week progressed. Material damage aside, the death toll this morning is now 123 (link), with no indication that it isn't going to go higher. As an aside, to get to the backpackers I mentioned in the previous post, we passed through Latimer Square, now known as location of a triage centre for earthquake victims, and one of the bases of the rescue and recovery effort for the CBD. I find it hard to equate what it looks like now with what it looked like when we were there.

One by one the bloggers reappeared, their regular topics forgotten for now as they related their sobering experiences of being in a large New Zealand city as it experienced what is becoming the biggest disaster to hit this country for a generation.

From the gaming blogger:
Thinking about the what-ifs

The movie blogger:
Truly Reeling

The parenting blogger:
Living through the quake

The librarian blogger, who isn't a professional journalist, but who has a great turn of phrase, won a 'Blog Idol' competition to write for the site, and whose writing I really enjoy:
Everything has shifted

Sleeping in sneakers

And not a regular blogger but worthy of adding to this list is this account from a staffer for Christchurch's daily newspaper:
By all the odds I should be dead

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