Irish quake survivors share experiences

AS RESCUERS continued to comb through the rubble after the earthquake in Christchurch yesterday, the experiences of Irish people living in or visiting the South Island city began to emerge.

An estimated 200 Irish nationals were living in Christchurch — New Zealand’s second largest city — when the second earthquake in just five months struck.

One Tipperary couple, Pierce and Maureen Purcell from Clonmel, were in the centre of Christchurch visiting their daughter when the earthquake hit.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio, Mr Purcell said he was in his daughter’s house preparing to go for a run when the house started shaking.

“A few moments later there was an aftershock which was every bit as bad. It was frightening, it was a matter of trying to assemble the important things like passports and credit cards and getting out of there,” Mr Purcell said.

Mrs Purcell said she had been about to enter a visitor’s centre in Christ- church when everyone was “thrown to the ground”.

“We realised immediately what it was, all you could see from the cathedral was thick dust like a sandstorm.

“There were lots of people in the spire so it was pretty frightening. Everyone was very shocked, the people were totally under the building, and other buildings around the square began to topple when the shock came afterwards,” she said.

A group of Irish tennis players who were taking part in the International Tennis Federation Seniors’ World Team Championships near Christchurch were also lucky to have escaped unharmed.

The Irish men’s over-55 team were based in Ashburton approximately 50km from where the quake hit, and damage has been caused to the tennis centre and hotels where players from several nations were staying.

Tennis Ireland chief executive Des Allen confirmed that he had spoken with the players and that they were safe and well.

“The players felt the earthquake, no damage was caused to their hotel, but understandably they are in a severe state of shock,” he said.