Speakeasy forum: New Zealand - shake - rattle - roll

My friend in New Zealand reports a 7.0 earthquake.

That qualifies as a "big one".

Here is what he writes:

Hi to all our family and friends,

Don't know if it got worldwide attention but we were hit with a 7.0 quake last night that really shook us up!

It was centered about 100 miles northwest of us, straight across open ocean, and along the same coastline as we are on. Fortunately it was very deep - about 150 miles down. Good thing, because it was still the strongest quake either of us have ever felt in all our years living in shaky California and New Zealand!

Pam had just got out of the bath and as she came into the living room we both felt it start. A vibrating floor and some mild rolling for about 15 seconds, then - WHAM, WHAM, WHAM! - big shakes! We rushed for a doorway and stood there cowering as the whole house shook and groaned - ceiling lights swayed, CDs fell to the floor, and a picture fell over with a loud clatter. Then it subsided, and I ran to the bathroom (as it scared the **** out of me) - and found the water in Pam's bath splashing and rocking as wildly as the sea in a winter storm!

Two reactions we'd never felt in any of the many shakes we've experienced previously:
•Real fear during it
•Real relief after it - as if we'd 'dodged a bullet'
Think we now have a real understanding of how the people of Christchurch NZ and Japan and like felt during their biggies!

Cheers (from The Shaky Isles!),
Bob and Pam