Christchurch quake: I will be haunted forever by apocalyptic scenes

24 February 2011

A Northern Ireland woman who escaped from the ruins of the iconic Christchurch Cathedral has told how she feared she would die.

Around 20 people are believed to have died when the spire toppled on Tuesday.

Lynda Patterson said she will be haunted forever by the “apocalyptic” scenes she witnessed in the terrifying aftermath of |the massive earthquake.

Originally from Dromore in Co Down, Lynda became the cathedral’s theologian-in-residence after moving to New Zealand six years ago.

She had been working in the landmark building, located in the heart of Christchurch, when the 6.3-magnitude quake hit |the city.

The spire of the stone cathedral — described as a historic landmark and a national treasure — toppled into the city square, sending debris crashing over a wide area.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph from the shattered south island city, Lynda said she had been lucky to walk away from the devastation.

“I was fairly sure that I was going to die,” she said.

“So, in one sense, I feel hugely lucky to be alive.

“But it’s hard to talk about luck in a city full of people whose mum or dad or husband or wife or child still hasn’t come home from work.”

Lynda had been writing a |sermon in her office at the east end of the cathedral when the earthquake struck.

“Without any warning the building started to shake |violently, like somebody was pulling a carpet out from underneath it,” she said.

“From where I was, I could see two other staff in a doorway of an office holding on to each other as desks and bookcases and chairs came tumbling around them.

“It sounded like a sort of echoing rumble all around.

“When the building stopped shaking, we made for the back door, checking that all the staff were accounted for.”

Outside, she was met by a scene of devastation.

The tremors collapsed buildings, splitting roads and pavements. Hundreds of injured people wandered through |debris-strewn streets.

“The scene outside was apocalyptic,” Lynda said. “Looking up and down the main street, we could see buildings down and vehicles crushed.

“To the south of us we saw people clambering over wreckage to try and get people out of cars as more buildings fell around them.

“The soundtrack was fire alarms and people screaming.

“There was a man with a broken leg lying on the ground beside me, and dozens of people around looking dazed and |covered in blood.”

The collapsed cathedral provided a powerful image of the disaster, but Lynda fears many people are buried in its ruins.

“I am haunted by the thought that we didn't get everybody out,” she added.

“The cathedral was one of the biggest tourist attractions in New Zealand, with about 700,000 visitors a year.

“The civil defence people are estimating more than 20 people could be under the rubble, and the building has so far been too unstable to send search and |rescue teams into. Seeing the tower fall, and knowing that there were still people up there, will haunt me till the day I die.”

Lynda said the city was in mourning for its dead.

“Shock is starting to set in across the city, and the whole place is in grief,” she added.

“We’re waiting with dread.”