Reports from Christchurch natives

February 26, 2011

When the deadly 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch, New Zealand in the early afternoon Tuesday February 22, the rest of the world had a hard time contacting loved ones and friends. The water supply was damaged. Electrical power was spotty at best. Cell phone connections were out. The airport was closed. Roads were damaged. All that most of us had was horrifying video footage on CNN and other international news channels of the downed cathedral spires, buckled roads, smashed buses — and our own fears.

While the world of triathlon may not amount to a hill of beans when weighed against this catastrophe, many triathletes have friends from this hub of great triathlon talent. Five days later, the best we know no one from the sport suffered major injuries and not so many were in the epicenter at the time. But as eight-time Iron-distance champion Gina Crawford's short account illustrates, there is long term damage from the shock and fear in the aftermath. And, as ITU star Andrea Hewitt's account of her efforts to reach family while training five hours south of Christchurch shows, widespread concern for their beloved city and family and friends.

Gina Crawford

Slowtwitch: Are you OK?

Gina Crawford: We now have power . I can't talk about the quake as it is so scary I don't want to recall. We [Gina, husband Brett and their two dogs Lilly and Raro] spent the night sleeping in our front doorway with the door open. We ran out every time there was an aftershock — which there were about 30, so no sleep.

ST: You have a baby due in July, so this must have been extremely traumatic.

Gina: My heart was in my mouth and I was struggling to breathe, so scared, so we left for a couple of days as I am so concerned about my baby, stress is not good, I am 22 weeks pregnant.

ST: Are you back?

Gina: We have since returned. Our house looks OK, we will have no water or sewage for months I wouldn't think in my area, but now we have power we can boil our rain water that we are collecting off our roof.

ST: How do you feel about the devastation?

Gina: My family is all alive, I am so lucky, over 200 people will have died and they are still searching for bodies. The town is totally destroyed, I will never go back there. I have lived here my whole life so I will know someone who has died but they have not released the names. I am grateful to be alive and that my husband and I and lour dogs were together at the time. But we are very, very scared.

ST: Christchurch has been under threat since a 7.1 magnitude
earthquake hit near you on September 4.

Gina: This started in September and since then we have had ongoing aftershocks for months and then this happens, so we are so scared of more to come. Thanks for your message of concern, it means a lot to me that there are people on the other side of the world thinking of us. Gina

Andrea Hewitt

Christchurch native and ITU star Andrea Hewitt was a few hours away when the quake hit.

Slowtwitch: Where were you when it happened?

Andrea Hewitt: I am in Wanaka, 5 hours south of Christchurch, for a 2 1/2 week training camp. I was training with my coach and partner, Olympic triathlete Laurent Vidal. I feel helpless here, but safe.

ST: How did you hear about it?

Andrea: I was sitting watching TV and Laurent saw it on Twitter pretty soon after. A Christchurch triathlete, Tom Davison, tweeted "Huge earthquake. Buildings in town are down. That was scary. Town is going crazy."

ST: What were your first concerns?

Andrea: I phoned my family's cell phones immediately to check they were alright. My sister and Mum answered, they were under tables. Both fine, but couldn't contact anyone themselves because networks were overloaded in Christchurch. So, I phoned my sister, Sara, in Dubai. I woke her up and told her. About 30 minutes later I got hold of Dad. He had been flooded at work, but he was fine and on his way out of there. I began texting other friends and family because they advised phone calls to be limited to emergencies. Thankfully, all were safe. Some text replies only arrived Wednesday morning, but between everyone here, we received news from everyone.

ST: The photographs and video of beloved buildings like the Anglican Cathedral were shocking – spires toppled, bricks hitting buses and
cars. How did you feel when you saw that?

Andrea: Sad! There is so much destruction. Although, I am more upset about the people stuck inside them! Still, Christchurch will never look the same. So much is broken!

ST: What feelings do you hold for your home town? Its history? Its
heritage? Its culture?

Andrea: The people in Christchurch who survived are able to tell their stories. There will be so many stories. This is part of history now. Already, the worst of it is told all over the news.

ST: What is the greatest disruption to` life in Christchurch you have heard from friends and family?

Andrea: The city is closed. No one goes in and everything left there is still there. There is no power and water in some parts and houses are unable to be lived in. My family are lucky enough to have each other.

ST: When might you visit home again?

Andrea: I have a flight home on March 13th.

ST: Has anyone you know contemplated leaving after the September and February quakes and all the disruption?

Andrea: Yes, some people have left.

ST: What do you know of any of your fellow Christchurch triathletes?

Andrea: Most of the Olympic distance Christchurch triathletes are here in Wanaka. There is no way to train from where they all lived in Christchurch.

ST: What does a tragic event like this leave you contemplating about fate and life?

Andrea: Some things happen which you can't control.