‘Disco Quake’-Christopher, 8, Hoon Hay School

Shake, rattle and roll – not again! Earthquake! I was on the deck in the middle of a Beyblade battle with Sam, Mason and James when the disastrous earthquake happened. People started screaming. Some doors were jammed so people couldn’t get out. I lost my balance and was bumped off the deck. I could see cracks opening and closing in the concrete; I thought one of my beyblades had fallen through a crack. I picked up my favourite beyblade and ran to where Mr Hawes was; he was saying to “Get down!” When we were on the field getting into twos I noticed Willi, my little brother and asked him if he was all right. He just smiled and gave me the thumbs up. The teachers were comforting people who were crying. Water was bursting out from the ground.. Whenever there was a little shake people screamed and got down quickly. On the way home I took photos of the flooding and liquefaction. I got ready to take a photo of Rydal Street because it was a total mess and traffic was going very slowly. When we got home we had no power or water. That night I thought that the earthquake was at a disco party. When we had a look at school the following day the field was covered in liquefaction. We ended up having to clean it up, even though it was 15 degrees, it seemed a lot hotter than that! A couple of times I got stuck in the liquefaction pile, it was really squelchy and stinky. I never want to experience another earthquake again. Willi and I hope our cousin Sophie enjoys school in Te Anau, we hear that there are 10 other children from Christchurch who are there also.

39 Responses to “‘Disco Quake’-Christopher, 8, Hoon Hay School”

  1. ella says:

    Kia ora Christopher

    You have been through a big experience and I am so glad you are safe.

    I have a feeling you have a good sense of humour and a good outlook on life which is a bonus for you and those around you.

    I liked that you looked out for the others including your brother and all the children that are in different areas now.

    Your writing and photography is important during these days as a record of what has happened, good luck with that.

    Like millions of others I hope that there are no more earthquakes!

    Please remember we are all thinking of you and hoping for the very best.

    Best wishes Ella from Auckland.

  2. bayley&viliami says:

    We feel so stink about the earthquake so we hope you get better and your family& friends are safe.
    by Bayley& Vililami.

  3. bayley&viliami says:

    We feel stink about the Earthquake. We hope things get better and your family &
    friends are safe.
    Bayley & Viliami

  4. dorothy/phyllisity says:

    kia ora tamariki ma how is the whanua going. I hope you’s are all right.Ihope you are ok and I am very sorry adout the earthquakeIhope your school will get rebuild so you can learn again I hope you all are getting better.Room4
    by dorothy and phyllisity

  5. Ben says:

    i hope your ok

  6. kitiona says:

    ???????…….
    are you talking to me?

  7. Nick says:

    It’s safe up hear in Tauranga, I hope we don’t get an earthquake. My brothers got beyblades. I hope
    Christchurh recovers soon. mabye you should come up here to get away from the rumbling earhquakes.
    I hope you and your family is al right. We just had 2 minutes silence for all those people in Christchurh.
    We just had camp. It was really fun. We went to the luge. hope your safe.

  8. Willim and Christopher says:

    We just had camp and this friday we are having a muffty day to funrase for you.Hope your school gets clend
    up soon.
    From Christopher and William.

  9. Ryan says:

    Hi Christopher you are so brave and I hope your family is ok and that you are with them right now.I hope you are ok and that you were winning the battle.

    Ryan 10
    Tauranga,Omanu Primary School

  10. angela smith says:

    wow! what a great young writer you are Christopher! Reading your recount gave us a really clear picture of what the earthquake was like for you. We will use it as a model of recount writing at Mauku School.

  11. Ben says:

    i hope yor ok lol my name is Ben

  12. velvet says:

    must be a party in christchurch WOW. LOL

    • Mrs Reader says:

      Read the letters properly ! These children have suffered horrible days & nights since the quake hit. I would think they were very scared at the time.

  13. velvet says:

    can i come to your disco

  14. aliyah says:

    oh thats good that your family and friends are safe! I hope you get lots of water and get your power back

  15. Carmen says:

    hello christopher
    i hope that your friends and family and of course you is o.k.
    i hope that you get power and water back
    stay safe and sound ok?

  16. Mrs Macpherson says:

    Thanks for sharing your experience of the earthquake Christopher. Nice to know you checked up on Willi and I’m sure you helped comfort others around you. It was great to see you helping clear up all the liquefaction at school. Keep safe and see you when school reopens.

  17. Miss DeSchot says:

    Great story Christopher!! I bet you saw lots of interesting things on the way home. See you back at school :)

  18. hayden says:

    Are you ok ? that must have been really scary espeacelly loosing one of you beys i would of freaked ! whos your fav mines my rock leon metel tip ! he kicks but any ways hows your famaly hope there ok.

    • Chris says:

      Hi Hayden, We’re all OK. I found out my beyblade is at my friends house, he was playing with me on the deck at school when the earthquake happened. It was flame Aries. I would say my favourite is Rock Scorpio because he’s a really good defence type.

      • Robyn says:

        Hi Chris
        What a nice surprise for me to read this!! Sounds as though you are having fun despite all that rattling an rolling! What is a beyblade? Perhaps I am too old! I have had an email from Mum who tells me you and Willi have been helping clean up the liquefaction. Isn’t it great that everyone is helping each other. Have you seen Pop and Nana recently. I’ll bet they got a big fright,too.
        Brian says to say hello!

  19. SYDNEY CHIMVINGA says:

    Dear Christopher

    I hope your ok and it was really good how you explained your experince it must have been
    scary to see the concerte crackin.that really cool how you saved your beyblade and helped clean up the field .you are are really good brother and i hop everthing can get back to normal

    kind regrds SYDNEY AND 8CL ST BERNARDS COLLEGE

    • Chris says:

      Thanks Sydney. Yeah, I was pleased about my beyblade! Hopefully we don’t see cracks like that again. Shovelling up liquefaction was hard work. Where is St Bernards?

  20. Alex McCloy says:

    Dear Christopher,

    I read your story about the christchurch Earthquake and it didn’t sound like a lot of fun.Did one of your beyblades get sucked into the crack? Your right it would be like a disco appart from all the things falling on the ground and people screaming! How long were you stuck in your classroom for? I hope you and your family are all-right! The way you discribed it made it sound really scary!

    Kind regards, Alex, Room 49, SBC

    • Chris says:

      Hi Alex, it was really scary. I was outside room 15 on a wooden deck. The crack I saw didn’t let out water, but some other ones near it did. After the earthquake there were heaps of sand volcanoes on the grass and the concrete at school.

  21. Hamish Tustin says:

    Dear Christopher
    I hope you and your family are okay. That quake sounds really scary. Ive seen the damage that it has done onthe news so i hope that you are safe. Good luck!

    • Chris says:

      Hi Hamish, we’re safe. We were only without electricity for 2 days. It feels more normal now without big military helicopters flying over town and hardly any sirens now.

  22. Alex says:

    Dear Christopher sounds like your beyblade battle was fun to bad it had to be interuppted by that earthquake who won? what beyblades did you use storm pegasus? hope you recover from the earthquake and look after your parents

    Kind Regards
    Alex Ingram Room 49 Saint Bernards College

    • Chris says:

      Hi Alex. I have Storm Pegasus but didn’t use him. I fled so I didn’t know exactly who won. I think it was me but I don’t know for sure. I was playing with Earth Wolf, Legend Night Virgo and Storm Capricorn. We weren’t playing for long, it was only half an hour into lunch time.

  23. Brandyn says:

    Dear Christophor

    Christophoer i hope you and your bey blades are ok it must be scary going trough that earthquake.Who won you ,sam or the earthquake?How many beyblades do you have?And how many after shocks were there that day?What is your house like is it fine or trashed?

    From Brandyn wilson st bernards collage.

    • Chris says:

      That’s funny. House if fine, lamps and bookshelf and stuff come down. Our cats disappeared for a day but they came back. They shoot out the door pretty quickly with aftershocks. We found our big fluffy boy cat Boo under our summerhouse hiding and too scared to come out. We’re still getting aftershocks. I’ve got 7 beyblades and my brother has 6.

  24. Jayden says:

    Dear Christopher

    the way you told the stroy was awesome

    Jayden
    St Bernards Collge

    • Chris says:

      Thanks Jayden. Mum thought it would be a good idea. Did your class have to write to us? It’s really good to hear from you all.

  25. sherwin peat says:

    Dear Christopher that earthquake sounds bad it looks like your beyblade battle didnt go to well with that earthquake. Did one of your beyblades get stuck in the crack and are you ok from that earthquake. what beyblade got stuck in the crack, was it storm pegasus. I hope your family are ok look after your parents.

    Regards Sherwin Peat

    Sherwin Peat room 49 Saint Bernards college

    • Chris says:

      Hi Sherwyn. Luckily a friend took my beyblade, it was close to going in the crack. It jumped off the wooden deck outside the classroom, where there is a concrete play area. It wasn’t a very nice day which is why we were playing on the deck. We were supposed to be doing a triathlon, I was looking forward to it.

  26. Finn Anderson says:

    Dear Christopher

    I hope you find your other beyblades.
    Take care of your brother Willi and good luck with rebuilding.Stay safe.

    From Finn

    • Chris says:

      Thanks Finn. Our house is OK, but the school needs some repairs. Dad’s workplace was affected so he will have to work from home. There is a really big hole at the entrance to his carpark where a waterpipe burst and made a mess and liquefaction in his building.

  27. paulspeedy says:

    Dear Christoper

    Your storie that you sent was relly scary i don’t even know how you feel down there I hope that you are okay. All those earthquakes in christchurch there must of been alot of them. how big are those crakes were they big enough to jam a car in there. Is your family okay down there? Is willi okay it must be relly scary if just one little earthquake and every one screming and running. I hope that everyone is okay. :)

    from: paul jnr speedy:)

    • Chris says:

      Hi Paul. The cracks were just a few centimetres opening and closing. There were sand volcanoes and flooding after it. We had to drive down Fitzgerald Ave to get to my cousins school and get her school books. She might not come back to Chch,, she is very scared. Fitzgerald Ave was really bumpy and had enormous cracks in one part.

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