Shaking Us All a Little Closer

The recent Fiordland earthquake (strongest earthquake in 78 years) has left New Zealand and Australia a little closer – 12 inches to be exact. The magnitude 7.8 quake on July 15 struck the South Island as the strongest earthquake this year. The quake was strong enough to push the Western Coast of the South Island about a foot closer to Australia. “They’re just that little bit closer to paradise,” said Rob Valentine, the mayor of Hobart in Australia’s island state of Tasmania. “As  neighbors, we’re really close, we can work together to take on the rest of the world.”