February 22, 2011 - The day Christchurch changed forever

I was originally going to include some of the pictures below in another post, but it really wouldn't do it justice.  Christchurch, NZ averages thousands of minor earthquakes per year.  There have apparently been dozens since I arrived, however too minor to be felt.  On February 22, 2011, just over a year and a half ago; Christchurch was rocked with a massive 6.3 earthquake and several aftershocks that were almost as strong.  Luckily the death toll was minimal at around 185 people, however the city is destroyed.  In minutes this vibrant city was reduced to uninhabitable buildings that are still being torn down today.  It is hard to describe an uninhabited city to anyone who hasn't seen one before.  If you've ever seen an old World War II movie and seen footage of a city after it has been bombed out; that is what this place looks like.  These people are still in the process of recovering and rebuilding.  Just yesterday, in fact, the plan was released on exactly how they will rebuild the city.

I don't think there is anything else I can say that these pictures won't express.  I would only add that all of the building in the pictures below are still to be torn down.  This includes the building that look brand new, because they were last year.