Rubbernecking
In the last week or so they’ve opened up some of the streets that have been closed off since the February earthquake. So today we went for a cruise down to have a look. Along with quarter of the population of Christchurch! There were large numbers of us all wondering around with cameras and dazed expressions.
It’s hard to explain what it’s like seeing the damage. Whole blocks just demo’d, although sometimes it’s hard to work out whether the wreckage was from the earthquake or a digger. But either way, the new official technical description of “munted” fully applies.
We think it was a deliberate decision to open things up for people to have a look, and see what has happened to the city and come to their own conclusions about how long things might take to get sorted, and what it all means for the central city. Some of the scenes with crushed cars piled up just made you really think in ways you don’t want to, while some other little things like “Yes, we’re open!” painted on a munted shop window with “No, we’re not” having been added underneath bring a little smile now and then.
All in all, pretty sobering. But worth a look.
Where are these photos taken from? Scary that it is all so unrecognisable!
It’s looking from St Asaph, mainly around Manchester and Colombo.