The entire nation has erupted into panic this morning following a small earthquake in Christchurch that comes just one day after a Civil Defence report indicated that a tsunami could potentially reach the New Zealand coastline before warning sirens are able to be activated.
The 4.6 magnitude quake sent Christchurch residents – as well as residents of most other cities and towns – fleeing from the coastline on foot and by vehicle.
“IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE LEAVE NOW!” screamed one unidentified office worker before jumping into his car and proceeding to sit in congested traffic.
As traffic in New Zealand’s three major cities ground to a halt, motorists began honking their horns incessantly, because, according to one Wellington woman, it “created the sort of atmosphere you’d expect in this situation.”
While some have described the nationwide scramble to reach higher ground as “an overreaction,” the response is largely in line with what was recommended yesterday by Civil Defence.
In their report, the national emergency management agency recommended that – due to the absence of a reliable warning system – New Zealanders should make sure to evacuate to higher ground following any earthquake they deem to be “significant.” The report also encouraged people to “panic” and “flail your arms wildly above your head,” and suggested that any “willing citizens” elect to act as cynical prophets of doom to warn others of their impending death.
Wellington residents spoken to by media this morning mostly said they would be evacuating to the Rimutaka Range, while Auckland residents were queuing in large numbers to ascend the Sky Tower.
In Canterbury, locals from Christchurch to Ashburton traveled to the small rural village of Cust, which they determined was “far enough.”
This was not true of everyone, however, with some particularly fearful evacuees expressing a desire to go much further. 44-year-old Benjamin Campbell told media that he intended to take his family to the “highest of highest grounds,” which he believed was Mount Everest.
Director of Civil Defence John Hamilton said early this afternoon that he was “pleased” with how the nation’s populace had reacted, and said it appeared that everyone was “adequately prepared” for the event of a real tsunami.
Prime Minister John Key, who has just returned to the country from a brief overseas trip, has elected to blame Acting Prime Minister Bill English for “all of this.”