A Cool and Shady Haven

by **ciderman_nz** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:30 pm

Amongst the festivities in New Zealand is always a sombre note on this day. In 1953 I had only been in NZ for a year before nature showed how puny we humans are. The 'Tangiwai' disaster was brought about by a lahar from Mt Ruapehu which took out the rail bridge just before the night express from Wellington to Auckland arrived. The river was filed with bodies but also with Christmas presents and brightly coloured paper. The man mentioned in this article showed amazing courage as the first on the scene.
"Tangiwai" in Maori means "Weeping Water". How appropriate.
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/historic-vo ... activity/5

by **dejavou** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 8:22 pm

The link didn't work Cider :roll:

by **ciderman_nz** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 8:30 pm

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/historic-vo ... activity/5

Try that Deja.

by **rocky** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:01 pm

[font=Verdana]Dreadful, Michael ...

Churns ones stomach even to read about it.[/font]

by **Maywalk** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:26 pm

Oh My God Michael.
It must have been dreadful for all the families involved.

Such a tragedy. :sad:

by **Corrie** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:35 pm

Tragic story. :sad:

by **Rowan** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:48 pm

How terrible Michael. Those poor people.

by **DaisyB** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:54 pm

Such a dreadful event, nature can be very cruel

by **Victors Mate** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:13 pm

A catastrophe at any time but just before Christmas seems to make it far worse.

by **dejavou** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:23 pm

As everybody else has said, a great tragedy, yet another example that Mother Nature can never be tamed :dunno:

by **Lacemaker** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 2:50 am

What a dreadful and horrifying thing to happen, Michael.

A Cool and Shady Haven

Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve.

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