Christchurch Oh No

Oh, no, not again, Christchurch and so much worse this time.

The number of people killed is horrendous, especially for a country will a small population like New Zealand. Most New Zealanders have friends or family in or around Christchurch. We all feel for the loss of life, the loss and extensive samage of property and heritage, and the loss of trust in a place which always has a feeling of such security and permanence.

The emergency services were fantastic. Maybe they did have a dress rehearsal last September with the first 'quake, but they put it to good use. Fire Service, Police, Armed Forces, Civil Defence, the many Government Departments, Red Cross, Salvation Army and many commercial companies were just so quick to react, and reacted so efficiently.

Our sympathy goes to those who have lost so much, and our thanks to those from New Zealand and overseas who worked so hard to help during this first traumatic week.