For tens of thousands of Cantabrians, February 22, 2011 would remain the deadliest day in their lives, for the devastation that the Earthquake wrought on the friendly people of the second largest New Zealand city can never be measured. Many lost their dear ones, relatives and friends, property and all that they had earned over the years. Those who lived through the disaster will be constrained to endure the trauma for a length of time.
Among them is a young couple, Anurag Kishore and his wife Ritu Walia. Married for no more than four years, they had to endure a few hours of sapped communications, not being aware of each other’s safety.
They are now in Auckland and beginning to put together their life and career, thanks to the generosity of a banker, more of which later in this story.
Shaken and stirred
“It was indeed a fateful day for all of us in Christchurch. As I was driving through the Central Business District near the Crowne Plaza Hotel, my car suddenly shook violently. Fearing a bad accident, I stopped to look around; then I saw people running out of buildings, some of them screaming for help. Since the September 4, 2010 Earthquake and the aftershocks that we suffered, I knew that Christchurch had been hit by another tremor. But I was anxious to know about Ritu, who was then working as Duty Manager (Front Office) at Hotel Grand Chancellor in Christchurch,” he said.
Parking the car nearby, Anurag ran towards the hotel, only to be stopped by the Police, saying that it was unsafe to go any further. The whole City appeared to be crumbling down and inevitably, he left the area and returned home.
“It was a great relief to see Ritu standing near our house. She was drenched and trembling, obviously shaken by the experience. She was a in a terrible state, but at least she was alive,” he said.
Even after three weeks, more than 700 kilometres away from the Quake-destroyed City, Ritu appeared to remain in a state of shock as she spoke to Indian Newslink from her Sandringham home in Auckland.
“The world around me started spinning. There was panic all of a sudden and although the Grand Chancellor was not seriously affected, the ‘shakeup’ was enough to make us realise that we had suffered another massive Earthquake. I had just gone to the back office, when there were calls for evacuation. I was drenched as water started seeping into the building. I was worried about Anurag. It was the second, more dreadful incident since September 4,” she said, and asked, “But how does one get used to Earthquakes?”
Dreams collapse
With no electricity and water at home, the couple spent the following two days and nights in their car. They comforted each other and looked around to help others in need. The entire world around them appeared to have crumbled.
None of the Cantabrians deserved such a tragedy. Hundreds of innocent people have died or sustained serious injuries, apart from suffering trauma and mental agony. There were many like Ritu who feared serious and permanent ‘disability’ of some sort.
“When she complained of back pain, I thought of the worst and it was only after two days following a series of tests that she was cleared of any such problem. We came to Christchurch with a dream and we were shattered,” Anurag said.
The couple arrived from their native India in 2008 as international students seeking higher qualifications in the hospitality industry. Both were employed in Auckland, before their move to Christchurch in 2009 after obtaining their permanent residence. With two quakes and a close brush with death, they decided to return to Auckland.
A Kind Aucklander
They appealed for help through quakeescape.org.nz, a website set up to allow people to offer and receive assistance. That was when Regan Yarrow, a Risk Strategy official at ASB Bank came into their life as a Samaritan.
“Mr Yarrow responded to our appeal instantly and offered accommodation at his Sandringham home. He was waiting for us at the Auckland Airport when we arrived from Christchurch. He had thought of everything from groceries to medical and chocolates to cheer us. He told us to stay at his home as long as we wanted free of cost. He was God-sent,” Anurag said.
Despite the generous offer, Anurag and Ritu found a home nearby and keep in touch with Mr Yarrow every day.
“I have heard many people say that New Zealanders are racist. This is utter nonsense. In fact, I have seen the kindness and magnanimity of New Zealanders in Christchurch and Auckland, especially after the Earthquakes. On the contrary, there was one from the Indian community listed on the ‘Quake Escape’ website. It is a pity that those who own properties, hotels and motels did not bother, except to pay lip service,” Anurag said.
Mr Yarrow was modest in saying that he did not do “anything out of the ordinary that would not have been done by anyone else.”
“I thought I should help someone in need, just as someone would help me if I was in need. The thought of ethnicity, race or faith did not enter my mind. To me, every human being is important,” he said.
Editor’s Note: Anurag and Ritu are on the lookout for a job in the hotel industry. If you can help, please email editor@indiannewslink.co.nz
