Multiple fatalities in New Zealand earthquake near Christchurch
- The Daily Telegraph
- February 22, 2011
- 11 comments
UPDATE 12:45PM: THERE have been multiple fatalities in a large earthquake that has struck Christchurch again, with many trapped under rubble.
Buildings and houses collapsed in the 6.3 earthquake, with police and fire services confirming people had died.
Sources said there were no available ambulances left to attend incidents as emergency services were stretched to capacity.
People were heard screaming as they lay trapped under tonnes of rubble.
WHAT WE KNOW
+ A magnitude 6.3 earthquake rocks Christchurch at 12.51pm local time (1051 AEDT).
+ GNS Science said the quake struck 20km southeast of Christchurch, at a depth of 5km.
+ Police have confirmed there have been "multiple fatalities".
+ Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says several people in the city council building had been injured.
+ The national crisis management centre has been activated.Sources said there were no available ambulances left to attend incidents as emergency services were stretched to capacity.
People were heard screaming as they lay trapped under tonnes of rubble.
WHAT WE KNOW
+ A magnitude 6.3 earthquake rocks Christchurch at 12.51pm local time (1051 AEDT).
+ GNS Science said the quake struck 20km southeast of Christchurch, at a depth of 5km.
+ Police have confirmed there have been "multiple fatalities".
+ Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says several people in the city council building had been injured.
+ People in the area are being warned to expect aftershocks.
+ Prime Minister John Key has addressed parliament, says he will travel to Christchurch after an emergency cabinet meeting at 3pm (1700 AEDT).
+ The spire of the Christchurch Cathedral has collapsed.
+ The TVNZ building in Christchurch had reportedly collapsed.
+ Christchurch airport was closed.
+ Police were evacuating the city centre, using their cars to ferry the injured as ambulances failed to cope with demand.
+ Reports say several buildings in the CBD have collapsed, and witnesses say people are trapped underneath.
+ Roads have buckled.
+ Water pipes have burst on the street; residents have been warned not to drink the water.
+ Phone lines are reportedly down.
+ It's the region's second major quake since Canterbury was hit on September 4, 2010, by a 7.1 magnitude quake.
+ The September 4 quake caused extensive damage and a handful of injuries, but no deaths.
+ Thousands of aftershocks have since rattled the region.
The quake struck at a depth of 4km, 5km north-northwest of Christchurch at 12.51pm New Zealand time, or 10.51am Australian eastern standard time.
"The details we have are extremely sketchy,'' New Zealand Prime Minister John Kay told its Parliament.
"The worrying fear, of course, is that this earthquake has taken place at a time when people were going about their business - it is a very populated time, with people at work, children at school. Sadly, I cannot rule out that there have been fatalities.
"But we are aware of significant damage to buildings that had people in them at the time,'' he said.
Mr Key said people were being told to get out of the city for their safety.
Mr Key said people were being told to get out of the city for their safety.
New Zealand police said in a statement that there were reports of multiple fatalities in the city, including a report that two buses had been crushed by falling buildings.
The police statement said there were other reports of fires burning in the city and people being trapped in buildings.
The airport was closed and Christchurch Hospital was evacuated. Power and telephone lines were knocked out, and pipes burst, flooding the streets with water. Some cars apparently parked on the street were buried under rubble.
"What I can see from where I am in the central city is that there are significant amounts of additional damage,'' Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said.
Witnesses told the Dominion Post that said there were buildings down all around Cathedral Square in the city, with the church destroyed.
Witnesses said there would be "deaths" this time and their were reports of people being trapped in buildings across the city.
Christchurch resident Sean Scanlon said power was out and phone lines jammed.
Christchurch Hospital was being evacuated, a spokewoman for the hospital said.
Kay Cowlishaw said there was descruction everywhere.
"There's just water pouring out and sewerage, the whole garage is filled with water. There are cracks in the road.
Malcolm, a policeman from Darfield, was driving into town to a rowing event when the earthquake hit.
"I thought I had a flat tyre, then the place was shaking like hell."
He said oak trees in the Hagley Park had been uprooted and fallen across tents.
"I'm shaken, I'm at Christ College now and the school is a shambles - there's a lot of damage to the buildings.
"All of the water pipes are burst and it looks like a tsunami coming across the park."
"It's just unbelievable - just the sheer power."
His daughter was at Rangi Ruru school and she said students were running around screaming.
Malcolm's wife Jenny said the mayor was on the radio telling people not to go outside.
"It doesn't sound good - it sounds like this time people injured," she said.
"It was just unbelievable, it was so strong, nothing like I've ever experienced before, just horrible,'' local shopkeeper Julian Hogday told TV3.
GNS duty seismologist Bill Fry said the acceleration of today's earthquake was larger in Christchurch city than the magnitude 7 earthquake last year.
"Instantaneously, they would have felt the greatest amount of shaking today. But the duration would not have been as long."
The earthquake happened at a shallow depth of five to six metres below ground.
In the city, the acceleration measured the same as the force of gravity.
In September, the largest acceleration felt around the city was on its eastern side, and this measured 0.8 times the force of gravity.
The city is home to about 350,000 people and is considered a tourist center and gateway to New Zealand's South Island.
Australians concerned about loved ones can call 1300 555 135
Australians concerned about loved ones can call 1300 555 135
No comments:
Post a Comment