All pulling together…
Former All Black captain Richie McCaw has joined in the rescue efforts in New Zealand following the devastating earthquake which struck the country yesterday.
A series of powerful earthquakes jolted New Zealand’s South Island, triggering a tsunami and sending aftershocks across the country that left at least two dead.
It triggered waves of 2.49 meters above usual tide levels, with aftershocks continuing to strike the Kaikoura region today, causing flooding as rivers burst their banks.
Military helicopters and navy ships have been sent to rescue stranded people in the area with residents being urged to seek higher ground.
McCaw, who’s now a commercial helicopter pilot, has been flying rescue and reconnaissance missions, including transporting Urban Search and Rescue Teams to affected regions, according to the New Zealand Herald.
“Like everyone else, I got woken up at midnight… yeah a bit scary,” McCaw said.
“From there, we took the Fire Service just north and south of Kaikoura to check out all the slips and make sure everyone was accounted for.
From the air, McCaw said he saw “big cracks in the road, cracks in the side of the hills, and obviously slips”.
“At one point, the railway was way out over the sea – it had been pushed out by slips. It would not have been a nice place to be at midnight last night.”
He added: “Just from a selfish point of view, it’s nice to be able to fly but you’d like to be able to do it in better circumstances.”
McCaw is the most capped player in world rugby, amassing 145 caps, and winning two World Cups with New Zealand before his retirement last year.
