Big earthquake just happened here.

[dipshit]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2597...e-measures-6-6

[Mikkel]

Didn't feel anything on the hills here in Chch.

[cs363]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2597...e-measures-6-6

Wow! Tsunami warning??! I know it's standard procedure for a biggy, but I seriously hope nothing comes of it...that would not be fun.

[Kemet]

Still watching the seismic drums at geonet.org.nz and it doesn't look like it has even stopped yet. there is just a continuous band of blue marking with sections of red where the original quake occurred and the "aftershocks" that have come since then. image makes it look like the quake is still going.... in fact on the Wanaka drum you can see the two different lines the current timestamp being partially obscured by previous hour's markings...

[cowpoos]

Good thinking. I'm making a fresh espresso in case the power goes off.

genius!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cs363]

Bloody lucky it was centred in a fairly remote area, according to the Richter scale 6-6.9 is classed as 'strong' and can be destructive up to a radius of 160km. Apparently fairly shallow too, which I gather is not a good thing either...

[Okey Dokey]

Yes, it was pretty strong here in North Otago, oldrider. First thing I noticed was lights in the windows, as if a car had just pulled up outside- but then realised it was the glass flexing in the frames! Stained glass ornaments in the windows swinging, the door moved open about a foot, and the fireplace poker in its stand swung back and forth for quite a while.

[Spyke]

Go look in the garage! I'm hoping no bikes fell over, that'd suck big time!

[puddytat]

Twas merely a gentle rolling motion in Murchison
I was just sitting down to roast Chook, & as with all quakes I wonderd, wether it was going to get worse...
Hope not to much damage

[Naki Rat]

Didn't feel it. but noticed things wobbling in the house in New Plymouth.

I'll second that. Gentle swaying for a minute or so in the Naki at 9.28pm, so it took 6 minutes for it to travel up here.

[oldrider]

Go look in the garage! I'm hoping no bikes fell over, that'd suck big time!

Been out checked the garage (Tiger purring contentedly) , thought there was a bump during quake but nothing untoward anywhere. OK

The Tiger said just as well Ruralmans KTM had gone home, it was a bit of a sook and would have been afraid!

[Blackshear]

Why do you guys get all the fun
Last time we had a 1.nothing the whole country knew about it on the news.
Was cool though, made a speaker fall off my dresser. Cunt

[Shadows]

http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/latest.html

Reference Number 3124785/G
Universal Time July 15 2009 at 9:22
NZ Standard Time Wednesday, July 15 2009 at 9:22 pm
Latitude, Longitude 45.78°S, 166.68°E
Focal Depth 5 km
Richter magnitude 6.6
Region Fiordland
Location 90 km north-west of Tuatapere
90 km south-west of Te Anau
150 km north-west of Invercargill
300 km west of Dunedin

They've now upgraded it to a 7.8 from the 6.6 originally reported - more than 10 times stronger. At 5km deep that's a real grunter.

[crazyhorse]

Reference Number: 3124785
NZST: Wed, Jul 15 2009 9:22 pm
Magnitude: 7.8
Depth: 12 km
Details: 100 km north-west of Tuatapere

This is what I read this morning. Did not feel it in HB, but it appears you've had some more good ones during the night:

Reference Number: 3124792
NZST: Wed, Jul 15 2009 9:41 pm
Magnitude: 6.1
Depth: 5 km
Details: 150 km west of Tuatapere

and then:

Reference Number: 3124869
NZST: Thu, Jul 16 2009 1:50 am
Magnitude: 5.9
Depth: 5 km
Details: 120 km north-west of Tuatapere

Hope your day improves down there

[Monstaman]

On the news they are taking flight over Fiordland to see the damage, it will have left some big scares you would think.