The first rattle feels like a strong gust of wind. But it doesn't stop. It keeps going, the shaking getting more violent, noise from the earth and your house only adding to the fear. It keeps going, until you wonder how much your house can take, whether it will cave in around you.

Those of us who live in New Zealand know that earthquakes are a price of living in an otherwise beautiful country. But they're not usually like this. Spanning almost the entire country, bringing down hillsides, destroying roads and train lines. Aftershocks at regular intervals, which stretch already fragile nerves.

The politicians were quick to spring into action. Our country's leaders offered information admirably quickly, updating on the numbers of injured, infrastructure damage, and the progress of relief efforts.

But part of this is because in the wake of a disaster, some of the worst of human nature will show itself. I'm not just talking about the looters, although it's safe to say, those people are the dregs of humanity. Just as bad, though, are the false prophets. The people who claim insider knowledge as to why the disaster happened, their certainty a life raft that people will cling to, only to discover it's a mirage.

Those online claiming that a super moon caused the earthquake, can be added to that list. Scientists quickly spoke out to debunk any possibility of that having an impact. The same goes for those who claimed a tsunami wasn't possible for a quake below magnitude eight. That was debunked even more thoroughly when a tsunami did, in fact, hit the East Coast.

Whether these con artists are scaring people, or offering false hope, neither are helpful. In fact their false information and advice could easily get someone killed. Some of them do it for a moment of fame on the internet, others, to prop up their subscription-based websites. But all of them need to be ignored.

That's why I was so relieved to see our country's leaders putting aside politics, and opening up the information highway. Hopefully it will drown out the charlatans and the quacks trying to take advantage of people who are already fearful and vulnerable.

Frances Cook is a Political Reporter for Newstalk ZB.