Workers Embrace the Cross in Quake

WORKERS EMBRACE THE CROSS IN QUAKE

A severe aftershock gave two workers suspended above ChristChurch Cathedral "a life-changing experience'' at 11.32am today.

Ben West of Stoneworks and John Hare of Holmes Consulting were suspended from a crane on a platform inspecting a stone cross on the southern gable of the cathedral when the 5.0 magnitude aftershock struck.

Hare hung on to the stone cross as it swayed back and forth, while West gripped the stone gable.

"We just shared a life changing experience, that was all,'' quipped Hare. West and Paul Cullinane of Stoneworks later removed the large stone cross, which had been deemed unsafe even before the aftershock struck.. Frightened inner-city workers fled their offices after the quake struck 10km south-west of Christchurch at a depth of 9km, GNS Science said. Seismologist Sara Page said Christchurch residents would have felt the quake more strongly because it was a lot closer to the city than previous aftershocks. "Some of the shocks have been 20km away - (this morning's) would be the biggest, closest one we've had for a while," Page said. "It was only 10km away and it was quite shallow too." GNS said today Canterbury residents could still be experiencing aftershocks a year from now.

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