Two weeks after the earthquake that rocked New Zealand, costing hundreds of lives, Dundee University-trained doctor Catherine Brown now working in Christchurch gives Courier readers an exclusive insight into the devastation.
I continued to work my usual night shifts the rest of the week, finishing on Friday morning. Each night I got in touch with the duty manager to see if any help was required in the emergency department but they have been very well staffed all week. Staffing levels have remained high, with colleagues joining us from around the country – even if for one or two shifts to give a consultant a night off.
In the meantime, at home in Redcliffs, we had no water, power or sewerage. Sleeping was a challenge due to frequent aftershocks. A lot of our neighbours had left due to damaged property and concern at further damage occurring.
Our house had just been put up for sale the day before the earthquake. It had been made spotless and professional photographs taken of it for the sale. The photos the following day depicted a slightly different scene – smashed plates and glass strewn across the kitchen floor alongwith food contents, chests of drawers knocked over, some new cracks…
On Thursday I went off to my night shift as usual. The journey by bike was bumpy because of the liquefaction and lots of uneven surfaces. As I approached the city centre and passed by all of the streets blocked off by police and army patrols, I felt so much urge to just run down the streets and start pulling at rubble. I guess it’s a human reaction – wanting to just do something helpful.
That night we were evacuated from our house due to concern about the stability of the cliff. We were all fortunate enough to be warmly welcomed into the home of one of my housemate’s family friends, where we are still residing. Never before have I been in a situation where I crave human company so much.
And while the instinct is to get in there and get involved with volunteering, it is really important to be able to focus on the job, especially in the current circumstances. Since the earthquake a massive voluntary effort has begun, including that of the Student Volunteer Army.
They have two branches – one co-ordinates groups of volunteers (both students and non-students) to various practical jobs across the city, mainly involving digging liquefaction. The other (Comfort for Christchurch) delivers food packages to the isolated and visits the elderly. I take my hat off to this group of motivated students who have taken the initiative to do this. They are doing sterling work.
I have spent a couple of days over the past week out with the Student Volunteer Army. One particular job took us into the home of Tom and Ella Hanton. Originally from Lochee in Dundee, the couple emigrated to New Zealand in 1958 with their children.
Mr and Mrs Hanton’s property in the city’s Avonside district has been severely affected by liquefaction. It took a team of eight of us five hours to shift. Mr Hanton, a builder by trade, built the couple’s home. He told me that it has sunk six inches after the earthquake.
Out on the streets I am overwhelmed by how the people of Christchurch are dealing with this situation in such a positive manner. In a situation of such devastation, I find myself being inspired by the spirit of New Zealanders.
I listened to the city mayor Bob Parker speak on the television in the days following the earthquake. He sounded so strong and positive in the face of such immense tragedy and devastation.
I would like to finish with the words of a Christchurch minister, who last Sunday at an outdoor church service at St Barnabas Anglican Church, Fendalton, acknowledged the damage and the tragedy of the event. However, he said, the city was not called Christchurch “for no reason” and that she indeed “will rise again.”If you feel able to, please donate to the New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Appeal at www.redcross.org.ukMain photo by Flickr user NZ Defence Force.
Originally from North Kessock on the Black Isle, I graduated in medicine from Dundee University in 2008. I worked in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for two years before moving to Christchurch in August 2010. I am working at Christchurch Women’s Hospital. The following is my account of the devastating earthquake.
Each individual will have a different account a different perspective of that day’s events: as prime minister John Key stated, one of New Zealand’s “darkest days.”
Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 12:51 hours. Time freezes as I am shaken awake from sleep (currently on night duty) at our home in Redcliffs. After September’s earthquake I am all too aware of what this sensation is.
Instinct is to run outside into open space and so I do. We take shelter in the open with our neighbours the first time I had met many of them. One of the local radio stations was still functioning. We tuned in to hear reports of massive devastation in the city centre and, sadly, the loss of lives.
It all just seemed utterly surreal. And it still does. My thoughts are with the families of those who have lost loved ones and those who are still stuck beneath rubble. And with the search and rescue teams who are dedicated to getting them out.
We spent some time with the neighbours on our street before walking to the surrounding streets to see how everyone was. Understandably there were a number of very anxious and upset people, concerned not only about their houses (some of which were severely damaged) but about relatives whom they had been unable to contact since the earthquake.
As a doctor I was faced with a dilemma should I head into the hospital (in the city centre) to help there, or stay in my neighbourhood to support neighbours? I decided to stay in the local area. I was unsure how the city infrastructure had been affected and thus whether I would get into work, and having phoned the hospital was reassured that it was well staffed.
I headed into Sumner, where I joined a group of doctors at the medical centre. There had been a number of rock-falls in the village. One unfortunate group of builders were the recipients of one house-sized piece of rock-face that had plummeted into the ground they were working on.
The medical centre dealt with the serious injuries resulting from this, amongst other more minor injuries. Two patients required air-lifts to hospital for specialist care. It was great how everyone worked together as a team to get one of the patients out of the GP practice on an improvised spinal board made from a piece of wood.
There was an eerie atmosphere that evening on the journey into work. The air seemed weighted, RNZAF planes swooped into the city, massive cracks had appeared in the road surfaces. As we approached the city centre the only people we saw on the streets were the police and army personnel.
Road blocks were everywhere. The city centre was cordoned off. Helicopters filled a vast area of South Hagley Park, adjacent to the hospital. It was very, very quiet.
Continued…
Originally from North Kessock on the Black Isle, I graduated in medicine from Dundee University in 2008. I worked in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for two years before moving to Christchurch in August 2010. I am working at Christchurch Women’s Hospital. The following is my account of the devastating earthquake.
Each individual will have a different account a different perspective of that day’s events: as prime minister John Key stated, one of New Zealand’s “darkest days.”
Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 12:51 hours. Time freezes as I am shaken awake from sleep (currently on night duty) at our home in Redcliffs. After September’s earthquake I am all too aware of what this sensation is.
Instinct is to run outside into open space and so I do. We take shelter in the open with our neighbours the first time I had met many of them. One of the local radio stations was still functioning. We tuned in to hear reports of massive devastation in the city centre and, sadly, the loss of lives.
It all just seemed utterly surreal. And it still does. My thoughts are with the families of those who have lost loved ones and those who are still stuck beneath rubble. And with the search and rescue teams who are dedicated to getting them out.
We spent some time with the neighbours on our street before walking to the surrounding streets to see how everyone was. Understandably there were a number of very anxious and upset people, concerned not only about their houses (some of which were severely damaged) but about relatives whom they had been unable to contact since the earthquake.
As a doctor I was faced with a dilemma should I head into the hospital (in the city centre) to help there, or stay in my neighbourhood to support neighbours? I decided to stay in the local area. I was unsure how the city infrastructure had been affected and thus whether I would get into work, and having phoned the hospital was reassured that it was well staffed.
I headed into Sumner, where I joined a group of doctors at the medical centre. There had been a number of rock-falls in the village. One unfortunate group of builders were the recipients of one house-sized piece of rock-face that had plummeted into the ground they were working on.
The medical centre dealt with the serious injuries resulting from this, amongst other more minor injuries. Two patients required air-lifts to hospital for specialist care. It was great how everyone worked together as a team to get one of the patients out of the GP practice on an improvised spinal board made from a piece of wood.
There was an eerie atmosphere that evening on the journey into work. The air seemed weighted, RNZAF planes swooped into the city, massive cracks had appeared in the road surfaces. As we approached the city centre the only people we saw on the streets were the police and army personnel.
Road blocks were everywhere. The city centre was cordoned off. Helicopters filled a vast area of South Hagley Park, adjacent to the hospital. It was very, very quiet.
Continued…