Scores dead in Christchurch quake

New Zealand prime minister John Key has confirmed that at least 65 people are dead after a major earthquake threw the city of Christchurch into chaos.

Thousands of shocked people are wandering the rubble-strewn city, many searching for loved ones and trying to reach trapped people.
Local television showed bodies being pulled out of rubble strewn around the city centre, while other footage showed onlookers clinging to each other and others bleeding and limping.
Screams rang out across the southern New Zealand city's main square as parts of Christchurch Cathedral toppled to the ground.
"I was in the square right outside the cathedral - the whole front has fallen down and there were people running from there," said camera technician John Gurr. "There were people inside as well."

  • At least 65 confirmed dead
  • Quake has caused multiple deaths
  • Second major quake to hit city in five months
  • Extensive damage in city, power cuts
  • City has run out of ambulances
  • 5.6-magnitude aftershocks recorded
  • A level 3 emergency has been declared
  • Contact DFAT on 1300 555 135

Police said central city was being evacuated. Two buses were crushed by falling buildings and a local youth hostel imploded.
Hospitals across the South Island are clearing patients to make room for the injured.
Christchurch Hospital is in operation and three triage centres have been set up in central city, Sydenham and Papanui.
The strongest tremor, which was measured at a magnitude of 6.3, struck at a shallow depth of just four kilometres, at 12:51pm local time.
There had been two smaller tremors in the morning, and in the hours that followed there were 12 aftershocks, measuring up to 5.9 in magnitude.
It is the second major quake to hit the city in six months.
Live television pictures show several collapsed multi-storey buildings, while several are on fire.
Among those badly damaged include the Provincial Chambers building, the Press newspaper office and part of the CTV building.
Rescue teams are roaming the streets using sniffer dogs to locate survivors and bodies.
Australians concerned about the wellbeing of friends and relatives have been urged to try to make contact with them directly.
A 24-hour consular emergency hotline, 1300 555 135, has also been set up.
Up to 30 people are believed to be trapped in the Pyne Gould building, where four storeys appeared pancaked on top of each other.
One woman was trapped on the top level of the building before being rescued by a crane.
Jeff McLay told TV NZ he was trapped with four other people when the floors of the multi-level Pyne Gould Guinness pancaked on each other.
About 200 people were working in the office block, although some may have left the building for lunch at the time the quake hit.
Mr McLay says the group sheltered in a space near a column which had compressed from three metres in height to about 1.5 metres.
"We were all thrown to the ground. When that happened, I thought, well, this is it," he said.
Rescues are underway in many other buildings.
People have gathered in the middle of parks across the city, seeking safety from the danger of aftershocks and comfort in the company of others.
Roads across Christchurch are buckled and ground water is flowing across streets.
Civil defence and emergency management minister John Carter says authorities are working quickly to respond to the overwhelming need for help.
"Obviously we will give all the support that is needed. We will have all the agencies functioning," he said.
"We will be able to provide those from around the country to support and to fill those gaps, but immediately people need to make sure they are safe.
"They need to make sure their families are safe, that their neighbours - particularly elderly neighbours are safe."
'Surreal' scenes

Australian man Simon Arms was competing in a seniors' tennis championships and said the initial quake lasted for about 30 or 40 seconds.
"It was like lightning ... thunder being right on top of you and no-one able to stand up," he said.
"The ground shook so hard that you had to literally fall over or hug the ground to stay safe."
Christchurch resident Alistair Dumbleton described the scene on the ground.
"There are roofs which are have been shaken to pieces, so all the tiles off the roofs are completely gone," he said.
"A train has been derailed, cracks in driveways, roads being ripped apart in the flash flooding.
"It's quite unreal, it's surreal. You have to pinch yourself."
Dr Marni Basto of Melbourne's St Vincent's Hospital was among dozens of doctors attending a medical conference in the city.
She says they have all been helping to treat the injured.
"For the time being we're just trying to accumulate any medical supplies that we can," she said.
"We've taken some from the stores around and everyone's been very helpful, giving medical supplies, everything they've got so far."
'Building just exploded'

One resident in Lyttelton near the epicentre of the quake says the area looks like a bomb went off.
"It was extremely violent. I was sitting there with a friend and the building just like exploded. It was like a movie - it took two or three seconds to comprehend what was going on," he told Radio New Zealand.
"We ran onto the street and the front fell out of the building right in front of me.
"It looks like Lyttelton has been bombed... that wouldn't be an exaggeration. Everybody is out on the street and it was so violent that people are just dumbstruck.
"All the older buildings in Lyttelton, the fronts have fallen out of them and the army have sealed it up, so people don't walk near what is next to them.
"Everybody is talking to each other on the street which is kind of a nice feeling... there is nothing else to do. You just have to cope with it. I don't think anyone will be doing much sleeping for a while though."


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