NOTE: I’m updating this constantly as new stuff comes in, with resources, accommodation stuff, etc

I didn’t feel yesterday’s quake*.

Sitting in Wellington, I would still have expected to (our building shakes pretty easily), but I was instantly aware that something was afoot when Twitter lit up with variations on the theme ‘holy ***, HUGE quake #eqnz’.

I’ve been glued to Twitter ever since, as messages fly around the country offering (and asking for) help with finding people, organising resources, beds, money, blood, standin work, etc.

There have also been a number of visualisations of the quake turning up, of which one of the best thus far has to be this one, from Paul Nicholls at the University of Canterbury.

Consensus at the moment seems to be that this is actually an aftershock (well, series of aftershocks, since there have now been over 11, or not-insignificant magnitude themselves) from the Darfield Earthquake in September of last year.  It appears to be along a different fault line, though…

Although of lesser magnitude than the Darfield quake, its proximity to Christchurch, the extreme shallowness at which it occurred, and of course the weakening suffered by many buildings last year, means the quake’s effects have been more devastating**, with widespread devastation as well as loss of life (currently, some 300 people are still missing).

If you have beds to offer those in need of them, the best site so far is this one.  If you need help, you can post here.  Another bed site is Quake Escape, here.

The twitter stream (well, there are many, but the predominant one) is #eqnz

UPDATE:

The British Geological Service has a page featuring footage/interviews, maps and info

Google Crisis Response, with links to its brilliant People Finder (via #breakingspace)

CrisisCampNZ - a wiki documenting engagement to support the quake (via #GripNostril)

eqnz.org.nz - Pulling together info for people in Christchurch - report problems, find a bed, find people, etc (via @starrjulie)

An interactive map of petrol stations and other services available/not available in Christchurch from Environment Canterbury Regional Council

findaroom.danielwylie.me also has info for finding beds than does quakebeds.  Good site.

Moar update (Wed 23rd)

Trademe‘s now gotten a dedicated section up on its website, with sections on accommodation, transport, volunteer labour and lost and found pets.

Also, I just heard that eq.org.nz has now had 100,000 visits!

Quakeaid‘s another new site which has gone up, which aims to connect people who need help, with those who can offer it.

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Other links:

Engineering expert Peter Stafford comments on the quake

More commentary by experts on the quake here

Advice about disaster stress

Civil defense

Police

TV3:  live coverage online

TVNZ: live coverage online

RadioNZ: live coverage online

Earthquake Government Helpline: 0800 779 997

News and emergency information sources for #Christchurch #eqnz (via Grant Jacobs)

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* I was woken up by September’s

** Cool article in Scientific American explaining why the quake was so damaging