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5 Years Ago today, Christchurch, New Zealand was struck at 12:51pm by a Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake, Killing 185 people.

A majority of those killed were killed in one building, that building was the Canterbury Television (CTV) building. The 22nd of February is a horrid day in the history of my city. The quake messed up many a person and family, with massive onset anxiety and fear. Aftershocks really didn't stop until 2013-14. That day and the following days from the quake were the worst of my life. We were afraid to go into our own home, living in a tent for a week and a half. Being only 11, I was freaked the fuck out and really scared. My father didn't get home until about 8 o'clock that night. Our entire family were afraid that he may have been injured or worse. The city stood still for almost a month, as no-one knew what to do.

That's all I wish to say on this topic. As it still stays fresh in my mind how scary it was.

~Vri.

Glad to hear you and your family made it out OK. I know all too well how scary crisis situations can be.

yeah, glad your safe from it, i'm lucky to not have to deal with too many weather extremes (well, i suppose the 2014 november blizzard could be bad to some, but hey, we're used to snow, we just called it tuesday )i only had one earthquake in my entire life, the quake that damaged the washington monument a number of years back, it was so large we felt it up here in NY, no damage from it luckily

I just started college in Richmond, VA when that quake (the one that cracked the monument) hit. The epicenter was Louisa County, VA (not far). I was on the third floor of my dorm with my roommate and we were talking about baseball. When the building started shaking we thought the football team was running through or something. Our buildings on campus were all brick so some masonry was damaged. We didn't know what to do and the school had to send out an email with details because we were all confused.

I couldn't get my mom on the phone, but I got my Dad. He was driving in the car with my brother. They didn't even feel it because the car's suspension absorbed it and they were in southern New Jersey. My mom felt it and was freaking out because she couldn't reach me because the phone lines were overtaxed. (I'm her oldest and had just left for college 270 miles away from home.)

4.5 years later, I recall the severity of what happened and how lucky we were that our buildings held up. We would have never evacuated on time and I was a sitting duck on the third floor of a dorm. I apparently slept through an aftershock that night. It was a really weird week and a few folks were on edge. I'm glad your family was all okay and I'm sorry your city went through that experience.

Nature is a powerful thing. When it unleashes it's power, we and our infrastructure can only hope to weather the storm.