On Saturday morning the 3^rd of September at 4:35am a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch and my family.

I woke up, and sat up in my bed, my curtains had been swung open, I looked out my window, and it was all dark, windy and cold. I heard Mum and Dad screaming in the hall way, “Get out of bed! Get out of bed! ”

I said “ What is it Mum? What is it?”

She said, “Its an earthquake!” I went to get out of my room when I found that I was trapped, my dresser had fallen in front of my doorway so I couldn’t get out. Mum grabbed my hand and held Charlie in the other arm. I was feeling around in the dark looking for a spot so that I could get out, then Mum pulled me and I jumped out. Dad and Maria got out of Maria’s room just before Mum and me. When Dad dived in to get Maria, Maria’s big tallboy dresser fell on Dad. We quickly ran down to the lounge to get under the big table.

All we could hear was smashing, crashing and banging. Finally we got under the table, and I gripped onto the table leg. I felt sick because I was so scared.

When the big 7.1 had finished me and Maria stayed under the table a bit longer. When we felt brave enough, we went into Mum and Dad’s bed. When I hopped into bed, my legs and arms were trembling all over.

My Mum searched around in her room for her cell phone so she could ring some of our family members. We went into Mum and Dad’s room because it was less trashed.

Luckily no one was hurt apart from my Aunty who lost her house. It had been tipped over nearly on its side. My Aunty tried staying in it for a while but my Dad and Pop went to look at her house. Her road was so bad that my Dad could only go10km down her street. As soon as my Dad and Pop walked through the gate my Dad knew this was not good. My Dad and Pop said “ You can not stay in this house any longer.

The day of the earthquake my Aunty stood up, looked down and saw that she had water and sand mixed together right up to her knees.

So on Thursday that week her work friends helped her move her stuff, most of the stuff like, tables and couches went in my Dads garage and the rest of it went to my Pop’s because she was staying there until she gets a new home.