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Re: [OM] OT Canterbury earthquake info

Subject: Re: [OM] OT Canterbury earthquake info
From: "Brian Swale" <bj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:10:40 +1300
Wayne asked in relation to
> > In the face of the developing separation of town and country,  the
> > adjacent farming community are pitching in to help remove the expected
> 300,000 tonnes of silt deposited in streets and on house sections (lots,
> >for the 'Murican speakers), that was brought to the surface during
> > liquefaction.
> > 
 saying ... 

> I saw a short segment on local TV about this silt, basically it showed some
> people cleaning up the silt from their suburban properties.  From
> what I could tell it looked like cement that had almost set.  Is it useful
> for anything ?  What are the farmers going to do with it ?

If will give you some idea of the response of the people in and around 
Christchurch if I share my reply ... which was ... (amended a little)

Yes, I imagine it *will* set almost like concrete if left to dry. Of course, in 
its
natural form it is a slurry, which is how it came to be where it is.

The local authority will have sorted out some place where it can be dumped.

The farmers are not there for any direct personal gain, least of all from that 
silt, which has not much use as far as I know..

They have come in to the city as a humanitarian action to help city people in 
their hour of great need. I can see there will be great spin-off from this in 
the 
future - this will for a while (maybe a very long time, if both sides build on 
it) 
break down the increasing town versus country split in society.

Until the last 20 years or so, many people in cities either came from a 
farming background or still had parents / grandparents who were farming 
and where they could visit. Now, increasingly, there are people who have 
NO contact with the "land" as we call it (farming for a living income).

Similarly, since the university is closed for about 2 weeks, hundreds of uni 
students have shown up with spades and shovels to help residents in their 
hour of need.

Such action of mutual and self-less help, plus optimism for the future, are 
two features of this week in Christchurch. My nephew Zachary (a drainlayer) 
has been spending very long hours (10+ per day) all this week, doing the 
same. He has no job to go to at the moment. His own house is ruined.

This is what's being done behind the scenes separately from the very 
organised USAR etc

Brian Swale. 
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