While Christchurch still shudders from the effects of the earthquake and aftershocks, here I sit in Auckland, in my apartment eyrie overlooking the high city and Rangitoto Island as the sun dips below the horizon behind me.
And as I sit, I reflect on that same Rangitoto island, which is just one of numerous volcanoes (at least 50) that reveal the monogenetic volcanic field upon which most of urban Auckland sits, and the most recent to erupt, 600 years ago.
We know Rangitoto's eruptions have tended to become bigger over time.
This field is not extinct. A new eruption could happen at any time, although there are usually between hundreds to thousands of years between eruptions.
Hundreds to thousands of years.
Incredibly short in geological time.
Oh man, how brief thy life, how short thy memory!
"Oh man, how brief thy life, how short thy memory!" Oh woman, how true thy words.
ReplyDeleteGracious! You do live in a hot-spot. Thanks for the link to the article on Aukland's volcanoes; very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThank you Geeb. Rather trite, but you may quote me if you wish. Email me and I will give bank acc details for royalties.
ReplyDeletePat - I'm just staying in Auckland for the first of my distance Masters Residential courses. I'm not really a city-dweller, so it's such a novelty being up here!
Well given the horror that hit Christchurch, I hope to God Katherine that your volcanoes remain slumbering for many more years to come.
ReplyDeleteYes, the early settlers named New Zealand "The Shaky Isles" and for good reason. I grew up in Christchurch, its my spiritual home in a sense - its been very hard to watch the iconic buildings that I know so well and grew up with - disappear into dust - but of course all that disappears into insignificance when compared to the sadness of the loss of life.
ReplyDeleteBut Kiwis are strong and we will overcome this I am sure.
Yes YP, so will all the people who live and/or work in tall, or indeed ANY buildings in Auckland.
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