The day the earthquake hit: Hamish Clark recalls devastation, 10 years on 21 Feb, 2021 04:00 PM 6 minutes to read Christ Church Cathedral on the day of the quake. Photo / Hamish Clark NZ Herald By: Hamish Clark NZ Herald's South Island head of news, Hamish Clark, remembers in vivid detail how the 2011 quake devastated Christchurch. The TV3 newsroom clock stopped at 12.51 pm when the earthquake struck. I dived for cover under my desk. It was the first time I had sought refuge beneath my workstation. The earth groaned loud and long, the ground accelerated two times the force of gravity as it rocked the centre of Christchurch to its core.