A 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked New Zealand on Sunday, killing two people and literally moving the earth. BuzzFeed News reports that the earthquake actually caused the seabed near the town of Kaikoura to rise approximately two meters through the ground.
The aftermath of the earthquake caused massive devastation, with more than 600 Kaikoura residents being evacuated. The resulting damage, which looks both awe inspiring and horrific, resembles something out of Guillermo del Toro nightmare. Many of the captured photos — captured here by Anna Redmond‘s Facebook page — are breathtaking and frightening to witness. One picture includes a crustacean who doesn’t know what the hell happened. He’s likely not the only one to feel this way.
Redmond noted the destruction at hand, but marine geologist Neville Exon told BuzzFeed News how this was a natural geological experience for the area:
“This is not at all surprising as Kaikoura experiences the fastest uplift as it sits on the [tectonic] plates, which are pushing up under there. The kelp positioned on top shows it is an uplift of the seabed through the sand a couple of meters.”
Some of the 2,000 residents in the area have chosen to remain in their homes throughout this ordeal, although train tracks, roads, and sewer lines are not fully operational at this time.
(Via BuzzFeed News)