Chch quake: 65 confirmed dead

Source: TV NZ
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/multiple-deaths-reported-police-4038278

Prime Minister John Key says at least 65 people have died following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch this afternoon.

"It is just a scene of utter devastation," he told ONE News. "We have to work as fast as we can to get people out of environments where they are trapped."

See aerial pictures.

It is believed another 200 people are missing.

A number of major buildings including the CTV building have collapsed completely while others are severely damaged.

At least two buses were crushed by falling debris.

Key said: "This is a community that is absolutely in agony. We just need this community, as it has done before and as it will do again, to come together, to check and support one another.

"We will get through this. New Zealand will regroup and Christchurch will regroup."

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said: "The PM has already released the the first list of casualty figures and I'm dreadfully afraid to have to say that that number is going to rise.

"I've seen probably 20, 25 buildings of significant size with extraordinary damage, probably total damage to them."

A ONE News reporter in Hagley Park, where a temporary shelter has been set up, says there are about 500 or more people already there, many of them from hotels in town.

He has spoken to people at the park who say they saw people die. One man said he saw rubble crush a man in Cathedral Square. Another man said he pulled a dead man from a destroyed car.

Another TVNZ reporter says a temporary mortuary has been set up in the city.

Main points

- Widespread destruction

- 65 confirmed dead so far

- 6.3 quake at shallow depth of 5km at 12.51pm

- Aftershocks continue

- Level 3 emergency declared

- International rescue teams deployed

Key, who is in Christchurch following an emergency cabinet meeting in Wellington earlier, has taken up the offer of search and rescue personnel from Australia.

Parker has declared a state of emergency. Police and the Defence Force are completing an evacuation of the central city.

South Island hospitals are preparing for hundreds of injured patients.

Phone lines are down and electricity is out. Pipes have burst.

Around 150 people are trapped inside the 13-storey Forsyth Barr building on the corner of Armargh and Colombo streets.

Fire Station Officer Peter McCardle said 30 people have been rescued. They do not expect it to come down but cranes and possibly a helicopter are likely to be needed.

Multiple buildings have collapsed, there are fires in buildings in the central city and people are trapped.

Civil Defence HQ in Wellington is on level 3 - its highest level for a domestic incident. They say they are struggling to reach staff in Christchurch.

The shock was at a depth of just 5km, centred 10km south-east of the city.

The Christchurch Cathedral has been badly damaged by the quake.

'Airspace closed'

There are a number of reports that the airspace over New Zealand has been closed due to the disaster.

Civil Defence (CD) says Christchurch Hospital is operational but several rest homes are being considered for evacuation.

CD says temporary accommodation is currently being organised for those displaced after the quake.

Welfare centres have been established in the following locations: Burnside School, Papanui High School, Lyttelton Recreation Centre, Brooklands Community Centre, Akaroa Senior School. Addington Raceway is now shut.

Emergency services are recommending people stay away from work or school for three days and to keep travel to an absolute minimum.

Vodafone and Telecom are urging customers to avoid overloading the network with calls, asking them to text message instead.

The quake has been felt as far away as Wellington and Invercargill.

International response

International messages of support are already starting to come in with Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan saying the thoughts of Australians are with the victims of the Christchurch earthquake.

"We hope that there is good news," he told parliament, referring to reports of multiple casualties and extensive damage to the city's buildings.

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said there were deep concerns about the loss of life and serious injuries.

"For the people of Christchurch this just isn't fair," he told the National Press Club in Canberra, ahead of his address on foreign policy.

"The damage is large, it's the middle of the working day, and the earthquake has not been deep from the surface."

Rudd referred to Australia's solidarity for its Kiwi friends at "a horrible time" for the people of Christchurch.

The earthquake is receiving a lot of coverage from international media.