Reports are now coming in that it has an intensity of 9. That's major damage. However, most of Christchurch is reporting a 5, which isn't much. Everything that can be knocked down there, has been knocked down. I can't find the mechanism yet, but it looks like a shallow strike-slip. It will be an interesting earthquake since I'm sure they laid down more accelerometers, and there may be brick buildings that have been seismically upgraded using standard methods. The first earthquakes shattered the myth that this actually works, but everybody still does it. I hope they lifted some brick buildings on screw piles, I'd love to see what this does.
NEWS! Boosted up to 7.8
This is a rare subduction zone upward thrust. Mostly they are large displacement downwards.
You never see this. That's why we are getting Intensity 9's, which is as high as you can get with housing. For the 10's and higher you need to see things thrown in the air.
ps. the best videos so far. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJeEAPTBPQg
earthquake lights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hIQaJg3lVM
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