Darkness, rain and temperatures are falling on Christchurch with people still trapped in buildings crumpled by a massive earthquake, waiting on search and rescue teams to get them out alive. Rescuers will work throughout the night in miserable weather looking for survivors following a 6.3 earthquake which claimed at least 65 lives, Civil Defence director John Hamilton said. Emergency services were focussing on high rise buildings in the central business district, many of which were extensively damaged, police said. Prime Minister John Key announced tonight that "at least 65 people have lost their lives" and noted the rescuers were still scrabbling through the ruins of collapsed buildings looking for injured and trapped survivors - and bodies. The death toll is already the second highest in a New Zealand earthquake - out ranked only by the 286 people who died in the violent 7.9 1931 Hawke's Bay quake, whose 70th anniversary was marked earlier this month. At a press conference this evening, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English said 350 military personnel were currently in Christchurch providing first aid, security and search and rescue services. (NZ Herald) Tuesday 22 February 2011
Christchurch quake: Toll expected to rise from 'NZ's darkest day'
Darkness, rain and temperatures are falling on Christchurch with people still trapped in buildings crumpled by a massive earthquake, waiting on search and rescue teams to get them out alive. Rescuers will work throughout the night in miserable weather looking for survivors following a 6.3 earthquake which claimed at least 65 lives, Civil Defence director John Hamilton said. Emergency services were focussing on high rise buildings in the central business district, many of which were extensively damaged, police said. Prime Minister John Key announced tonight that "at least 65 people have lost their lives" and noted the rescuers were still scrabbling through the ruins of collapsed buildings looking for injured and trapped survivors - and bodies. The death toll is already the second highest in a New Zealand earthquake - out ranked only by the 286 people who died in the violent 7.9 1931 Hawke's Bay quake, whose 70th anniversary was marked earlier this month. At a press conference this evening, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English said 350 military personnel were currently in Christchurch providing first aid, security and search and rescue services. (NZ Herald) 