Christchurch

My last visit to Christchurch was 3 years ago when the city was whole. I returned yesterday to a broken city after all the horrendous earthquakes they have been having. I didn't see too much of the damage as it's hard to get to those parts.
The area around the airport looks fine and you'd never know they had suffered earthquakes. The roads didn't have any cracks or holes and I only saw the odd bit of damage to indicate anything had happened. I noticed a couple of chimneys down, a few fences propped up and one church held together by steel girders at each end. 

In the City Centre, as close as you can drive to it 

Riccarton Mall was busy and buzzing, but when you looked underneath all this you saw the signs of what has happened. A gift shop by the cafe where we had breakfast had a sign up saying that goods were stuck to the shelves and then I noticed the blue tac holding everything in place. When I said to someone I was going to the Mall, they told me to be aware of where I was at all times and to especially look out for what was above me. 
On the way back to the airport we drove as close as we could to the CBD and there we saw a lot more damage. All that is left of Knox Church is the pillars and roof. One hotel we saw has missing windows and the curtains were flapping in the breeze. Another building had it's roof missing and all the windows on the top floor were broken. Driving past Hagley Park I noticed a massive branch had been broken off on one of the trees.
But more importantly it's the trauma that has been caused to the people that is of concern. Again it's just little signs that show you what they are going through. I saw a slight tremor in a cousins hand, hearing of a child wetting the bed for a week after the February quake, the flatness in people voices etc. I don't blame anyone for wanting to move away from Christchurch. 
I didn't feel any earthquakes while I was there but saw on the internet there was 3 during the day, but that they had some stronger ones overnight. All we can do is pray that they end soon so that the people can begin to live their lives again.