Christchurch, New Zealand Earthquake: Devastation Twice in Six Months

Christchurch’s second major earthquake in the space of six months has wreaked havoc on a city that was barely recovering from the major quake in September 2010.
Christchurch, New Zealand Earthquake: Devastation Twice in Six Months
The Knox Presbytarian Church on Bealey Avenue lies in ruins on February 23, 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand. At least 65 people have died after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck 20km southeast of Christchurch at around 1pm local time. ( Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
2/22/2011
Updated:
10/1/2015

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/109351352.jpg" alt="The Knox Presbytarian Church on Bealey Avenue lies in ruins on February 23, 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand. At least 65 people have died after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck 20km southeast of Christchurch at around 1pm local time. ( Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)" title="The Knox Presbytarian Church on Bealey Avenue lies in ruins on February 23, 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand. At least 65 people have died after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck 20km southeast of Christchurch at around 1pm local time. ( Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1807902"/></a>
The Knox Presbytarian Church on Bealey Avenue lies in ruins on February 23, 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand. At least 65 people have died after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck 20km southeast of Christchurch at around 1pm local time. ( Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
Christchurch’s second major earthquake in the space of six months has wreaked havoc on a city that was barely recovering from the major quake in September 2010.

The 6.3 quake that struck yesterday at 12:51 p.m., local time, with a depth of 5 km (3.1 miles) has caused major damage, particularly to the central city area of Christchurch.

New Zealand Civil Defence has confirmed 75 deaths, with 20 bodies yet to be identified.

In the 2010 earthquake, despite a magnitude of 7.1, there were no deaths.

Resident Edward Robinson has described the city as chaotic. “It is just crazy. It’s all fire trucks, clouds of smoke and dust, and falling buildings and bricks everywhere.

“Most of the bridges in Christchurch are out which makes it really difficult because the Avon (River) runs through half of the city,” he said. “Cars have to drive through a river to get across town ..it is essentially impossible to get from the East side of town to the West side.”

He reported that liquefaction had prevented him using a road that led to his house.

English tourist Nadine Whitehead was shocked by the extent of the damage. “It is like out of a horror movie,” she said.

The central city area has been cordoned off and it is estimated that rescue work will take a considerable number of days to complete.

Work is being carried out by hundreds of search and rescue teams, fire services, army personnel, and volunteers working under floodlights throughout the night.

Two of Christchurch’s major buildings, the CTV (Canterbury Television) and PGG (Pyne Gould) both collapsed.

According to an early morning police report, 30 people had been rescued, two with severe injuries, and a large number are yet to be reached. There was no indication of how many were trapped inside.

Superintendent Russell Gibson, refused to speculate on the number of deaths.

In an interview with Radio New Zealand he described the situation as “absolute carnage.”

“There are bodies littering the streets, they are trapped in cars crushed under rubble and where they are deceased, our focus unfortunately this time has turned to the living... we are getting texts and tapping sounds from some of these buildings and that is where our focus is at the moment.

Prime Minister John Key declared a state of emergency and reaffirmed support from his government. “Let me be clear that no one will be left to walk this journey alone,” hes said.

“We will rebuild this city resolutely, and with the conviction that this is what it is to be a Cantabrian, what it is to be a New Zealander.”

There has been a request for 300 Australian police officers to assist the New Zealand Police with rescue operations.

The effects of the earthquake were felt 200 km (124 miles) from Christchurch’s west coast where some 30 million tonnes of ice has broken off from New Zealand’s largest glacier, according to a report from the Australian Associated Press (AAP).

“Tour guides at the Tasman Glacier in the Southern Alps say the quake caused the ice to “calve” from the glacier, forming icebergs in the terminal lake.

Tourists of Glacier Explorer boats say the icefall caused waves of up to 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) in height which swept up and down the lake for 30 minutes,” the AAP reported.