Yesterday (22nd Feb) at 1pm Christchurch suffered another and much worse earthquake http://www.nzherald.co.nz than the one they endured in September last year. This time the city was full of people going about their daily business and skyscrapers have collapsed.
I have not heard from all VEX teams in the area and do not expect to do so for a day or so but one team seems still keen to come up to our National Competition next week.
Jenny, an ex member of team 2901, who has just gone down to Christchurch to start engineering at the University of Canterbury TXT’d me and said the halls of residence are ok so we know she is ok.
Our hearts go out to everyone in Christchurch especially our team mates.
Keep safe guys we are praying for you.
Chris H
Let me add that my thoughts and prayers are with the people of Christchurch. I’ve lived my whole life in west coast US earthquake country (80% in Southern California, and 20% in Washington) and I know how frightening a large shaker can be.
Our team will be praying as well.
I have managed to get in touch with all of the teachers in Christchurch and they atr ok. They were all in the city center at a union meeting when all hell broke loose but thankfully they avoided the falling buildings.
They tell of 2m wide cracks in roads 4m deep and no electricity, water or reliable sewerage system but they still want to come up to our National Competition in one weeks time! One team of girls cannot get to their robot as it is at school and it is too dangerous to go inside but they will build one when they come up to Auckland on Thursday and have a place where they can get together.
Thank you to the world that has sent in USAR teams and police to help us out.
The video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhKnJUCG3Hg sums it up for me.
God bless you Christchurch.