CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand -- To describe people in New Zealand's second-biggest city as “all shook up” puts it mildly. The same goes for the buildings and basic infrastructure.

Hundreds died from a magnitude-6.3 earthquake on February 22 that devastated Christchurch, a scenic place normally nicknamed the Garden City, and its 350,000 people. Many bodies remain buried in the rubble of collapsed buildings, and the final death toll looks likely to exceed 300.

Understandably, the survivors feel unfairly jolted. As one said, “We are resilient people, but what has happened this time -- the wreckage, the lives lost, the ongoing shakes, the (expletive) of everything – it's too much.”

Office blocks, shops and homes collapsed. Even the spire tumbled off the historic cathedral. A third of the downtown buildings need demolition and rebuilding.

Seeking firmer ground, some residents have left Christchurch, at least temporarily. Some fled from their former “dream-houses", places with “million-dollar views”. Certain neighborhoods were evacuated for fear of rock falls and land-slips.

In eastern Christchurch, things look extra bad. Sewage floods the streets, and the smell rankles. Much of the ground, once a swamp, has transformed into sandy jelly that contributed to building collapses. One 26-storey hotel even resembles Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Residents call the water-supply and sewage systems broken and the roads and schools messes. “This city won't be up and running for months,” one man said. Many people plan to go for months without the normal water and sewage services.

Some electricity has been restored, but turning it on started fires in several homes. Worse, a few criminals engaged in looting, fraud and hoax-emergency calls. Why do scumbags emerge at such a time?

People in Christchurch feel numb, even incredulous that life continues. Many survived close calls, nearly being in a wrong place at the crucial shaky moments.

Tales of heroism, rescues and good deeds abound. Churches and other organizations have launched all-out aid efforts. One immigrant, formerly from China, tells of opening his apartment to several people who lost their homes. Many others did likewise. As one woman concludes, “It's amazing how disaster can bring out good and bad.”

For future generations, February 22 will carry negative connotations. Yet as grim as the near term looks, Christchurch will rebuild, probably better than ever. More than most places, its people possess the needed determination and fortitude.

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