Strong quake devastates New Zealand town

Christchurch, Saturday

New Zealand’s most destructive earthquake in nearly 80 years caused NZ$2 billion (US$1.44 billion) worth of damage today, felling buildings, tearing up roads and sending terrified residents fleeing into the streets.

Officials said it was “extremely lucky” no one was killed when the 7.0 magnitude quake shook the country’s second-largest city Christchurch just before dawn.

Frightened residents fled from their homes to find streets covered in rubble and glass, but despite the extent of the damage only two people were seriously injured in the city of 340,000 people.

A state of emergency was declared in Christchurch and a 7pm to 7am curfew imposed in the city centre as initial estimates put the damage at up to NZ$2 billion (US$1.44 billion).

Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said he was “horrified by the amount of damage” which daylight showed was considerably worse than first thought.

“There would not be a house, there would not be a family in our city that has not in some way have damage done to their person, to their property,” Parker said on national radio. “I think it’s like an iceberg; there is... below the visible line, significant structural damage.”

Few people were on the streets as the quake hit but building facades crashed to the ground, crushing parked cars and showering the roads with shattered glass, while gas and water electricity supplies were cut.

Residents were warned to stay away from damaged buildings for fear of further collapses as severe aftershocks continued to rock the city.

“I think we’ve been extremely lucky as a nation that there’s been no fatalities... we’re blessed actually,” Civil Defence Minister John Carter said after being briefed on the impact of the quake, which he described as a “significant disaster”.

Prime Minister John Key flew to the city to survey the scene and support residents, many of whom described the quake as a terrifying experience. “We are not going to let Christchurch suffer this great tragedy on its own,” Key said.

The quake, initially recorded at a magnitude of 7.4, struck at 4.35am at a depth of five kilometres, 45 kilometres west of Christchurch, the US Geological Survey said. (AFP)