When I was in charge of Wellington and the central and lower North Island as regional commissioner for the Ministry of Civil Defence, I used to have nightmares about a magnitude 7 plus earthquake hitting Wellington. I had a number of meetings with Mayor Michael Fowler and his council to discuss preparedness and response measures. We put a lot of time into the Wellington Civil Defence plan and training for the big quake. Who would have predicted it would strike in and around Christchurch ? It did, and we must record the lessons carefully and use it as a model for planning, preparedness, response, emergency leadership and recoverey. Well done Christchurch ! You handled the first week so well.The world can learn from you.
Having a house Christchurch and a rate payer, I can say we are getting excellent value for our money in Christchurch in terms of recovery leadership and excellent Civil Defence response.
I found this excellent article today which captures many of the lessons learned. by MARTIN VAN BEYNEN - The Dominion Post
A severe shake tests infrastructure, examines emergency responses, exposes planning decisions and most of all asks searching questions of people.
Canterbury, in its first week after the tremor, which struck at 4.35am last Saturday, has passed many of these tests with flying colours. It can pat itself on the back – but not too hard.
A week after one of the biggest jolts to strike a modern, populated city anywhere in the world let alone New Zealand, Canterbury authorities have managed to restore most of the services usually taken for granted.
By tomorrow, just about everybody still living in their own home in Canterbury should have water and power. Given the extent of the breakages and outages, that is some achievement. Most homes had water and power by Monday night and by Tuesday 90 per cent of Christchurch residents were able to flush their toilets. By yesterday, only 11 streets were without water.
The airport inspected its runways immediately and within hours aircraft were taking off again. The Port of Lyttelton was working again on Sunday afternoon despite up to $50 million of damage to wharves and storage areas.
As expected, Canterbury people pitched in and did what they could for themselves and their neighbours and friends. Welfare centres set up on Saturday were still busy mid-week with about 280 people in occupation – out of the city of 360,000 or so.
People like bungy king AJ Hackett went ahead with their weddings in the ruined city. Mike Bird didn't have much choice. He had already tattooed September 4 on his arm.
By Wednesday, the chooks had started laying again and by Thursday some schools had reopened.
Not all the memories were bad. Hours after the quake, writer Joe Bennett found fellow citizens of Lyttelton in good spirits. "Everyone was talking in the sunshine. There was a lot of laughter. It didn't seem to be the nervous laughter of survivors. It was cheerful, convivial. It felt like a holiday," he wrote.
In the aftermath, Wayne Alexander, of Christchurch, said: "You're never more in love with life and that's what I like about it. Whenever you face loss you realise on the other side of it what you've got."
BUT FIRST there was terror. For many the noise was deafening as windows rattled fit to break, glass and crockery crashed to the floor and chimneys and tiles toppled. In beach suburbs the first panicked thought was for a possible tsunami. Those with access to vehicles caused a traffic jam as they headed away from the coast. Without power many could not open their automatic garage doors.
Annette Preen, on her own in her new house in Bexley, felt trapped as she tried to kick down her security door. "I thought I was going to die." When she made it outside she fell headfirst into the wet sand piled at her front door.
"I fell flat on my face and the silt being so heavy I couldn't get out."
Ad Feedback For Chris Piper, 18, of St Martins, it was the scariest moment of his life. He was in a sleepout behind his family's home and was woken painfully when a television set fell on his feet.
"I threw my girlfriend on the lawn and then went to the house in barefeet and my underwear to see tiles and the chimney crashing down. I thought the whole house was going to collapse. I thought my whole family was going to die in front of me."
Paraplegic Renee Hayman was lying in her room at the Kate Sheppard Hospital in Avonside. "I felt quite helpless, really," she says.
At dawn, Christchurch turned on a pearler of a day. Residents could survey the damage in the light of warm, bright sunshine. Another godsend perhaps.
Supermarkets were some of the first businesses to reopen. By 10.40am, St Martins New World had cleaned up aisles smelling of vinegar and alcohol and had tills running on generator power. By midday power was on and business was as busy as a Christmas Eve, owner Russell McKenzie said.
Other supermarkets around town faced panic buying and were soon out of bottled water, milk, bread, batteries and candles. As it became clear that starvation was going to be averted, the panic subsided. Frantic buying at the city's service stations also abated as it became clear fuel supplies were not threatened.
Every city has its low-lifes and a few took advantage of deserted houses and businesses to help themselves. Some were caught, including two burglars masquerading as tradesmen. But there was no looting and overall crime was down, police said. However, domestic violence spiked as strained nerves and arguments escalated.
The rally happened quickly. By mid-week the army of volunteers, recruited partly from students at Canterbury's two universities and from the Christchurch Polytechnic, had swelled to over 1000. Many others had already done their bit. As Janet Derham prepared to evacuate her ravaged Bexley home on Monday, a woman from Avonhead and a student arrived from nowhere to help her pack. Age Concern had many offers from people offering to help old people clean up.
Mostly, the speedy restoration of services was due to the efforts of well organised crews of fixers – the linesmen, the cable jointers, the excavator drivers, the drainlayers, the plumbers, roofers and builders. They were people like Ed Askew, a cable jointer for Orion, the operator of the Christchurch power network, who worked continuous 14-hour days despite his own two-storey home being devastated.
Orion engineer Steve MacDonald was at work at midday on Saturday despite the destruction of his home at Brooklands.
As a radio announcer put it: "Good people doing the right things."
Although the aftershocks kept coming, it was important to look around occasionally for a reminder that Christchurch was not levelled and most of it looked absurdly normal.
A stranger driving into Christchurch on Monday, might well have wondered what all the fuss was about. The visitor would have seen the rubbish collectors emptying the city's red refuse bins, heavy traffic on intact roads and cyclists and joggers out enjoying a sunny day.
Damage was not instantly visible. The sharp-eyed would have seen tarpaulins covering holes where chimneys had been, but would have been hard-pressed to see much more.
Those inclined to scoff at reports about the severity of the quake were in for a rude shock in the central city where a different picture emerged. Police officers and army staff were manning cordons and checkpoints. The streets were crawling with men in white hard hats and orange vests carrying clipboards. Demolition crews were already working. Orange cones, temporary fences, emergency tape and orange netting screened hard-hit buildings, many with jagged cracks and bits missing. A walk around town, those parts that were accessible, would have revealed cracked towers, ruptured walls and piles of rubble.
The Christchurch earthquake will be remembered for the massive damage it caused rather than the people it killed.
The timing of the first 30-second jolt on Saturday was incredibly fortunate. The Napier earthquake hit about 10.30am on a busy shopping day. In Christchurch the streets were empty of traffic and people. Nobody was shopping and few cars were parked under the many brick facades in the city.
Nobody was on the footpath outside the apartments of the former Old Normal School building in Montreal Street when a massive chimney came tumbling on to the asphalt.
Nobody was sleeping in the guest bed at the historic Godley House, in Diamond Harbour, when the fireplace fell on to the bed.
Nobody was on Bridle Path Rd near Lyttelton when a car-sized boulder plummeted from its perch further up the hill. Architect Sir Miles Warren was not sitting in his usual chair at his historic homestead Ohinetahi when stone blocks landed on it.
In the Hornby coolstores and supermarket distribution centres, no-one was working when nine-metre-high racking loaded with heavy goods such as alcohol collapsed. The resulting mess in some warehouses was three storeys high but nobody was buried underneath.
Former Christchurch man John Mander, a structural engineering professor teaching at Texas A and M University, says "of any place in the world this would probably be the best prepared".
He refers to the more stringent building standards imposed in New Zealand after the Napier earthquake and to the general awareness gained from living in an earthquake-prone country.
THERE is no doubt Canterbury responded well. A well- educated and resourceful population containing an army of skill and brawn, backed by a trained and honest central and local government, civil service, police force and other emergency services made all the difference. Canterbury is not Haiti, which showed poverty kills.
Modern technology also helped. Earthquake-proof cellphone towers meant people could check on each other and call for help.
Valerie Walsh, for instance, was stuck in her twisted Bexley house which was slowly filling in the dark with silty water. She sent a text to a friend who sounded the alert.
The quake and its aftermath will be studied and analysed for years to come. For New Zealand it is a resounding wake-up call.
For Cantabrians, whether they suffered damage or not, the earthquake of September 4 was a shattering experience never to be forgotten.
Showing posts with label earthquake in Christchurch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label earthquake in Christchurch. Show all posts
Friday, 10 September 2010
Friday, 3 September 2010
Christchurch, New Zealand hit by Earthquake
LATEST UPDATE: An overnight curfew has been imposed in Christchurch, New Zealand, following a powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake.
Daylight showed the extent of the damage in central Christchurch.
Police said the curfew was intended to protect people from falling debris, as the quake caused significant damage.
The mayor of the city, Bob Parker, described the scale of the damage as immense, and a state of emergency has been declared.
There have been strong aftershocks, and weather forecasters say gale force winds are expected within 24 hours.
The earthquake struck off New Zealand's South Island, the US Geological Survey has said, in the early hours of the morning when most people were asleep.
The epicentre was 55km (35 miles) north-west of Christchurch, at a depth of 12 km (7.5 miles).
Two men were seriously injured by falling masonry and glass, but there have been no reports of fatalities.
"The damages are incredibly frightening. The only thing you can say it's a miracle that no-one lost their life," Prime Minister John Key told TV NZ.
Many homeowners faced a cold winter's night and leaking or damaged homes. Hours after the quake, one building in the Christchurch city centre burst into flames, following a suspected gas leak.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the "sharp, vicious earthquake" had caused significant damage in parts of the city.
He said daylight showed that the damage 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," he said on national radio.
"I think it's like an iceberg; there is... below the visible line, significant structural damage."
Police said damage and power outages had been reported as far afield as Dunedin, 360km (223miles) to the south-west.
Chimneys and walls had fallen from older buildings, with roads blocked, traffic lights out and power, gas and water supplies disrupted, he added.
"There is considerable damage in the central city and we've also had reports of looting, just shop windows broken and easy picking of displays," police inspector Mike Coleman told Radio New Zealand. "It's very unsafe to be out and about."
Susan Birkbeck, who lives in the centre of Christchurch, told the BBC: "It was absolutely shocking, we're all terrified and scared of what's going to happen next."
Daylight showed extensive damage "I was asleep when suddenly the house started shaking and there was this smashing sound, I thought a large truck had just driven through the front window."
"I'm now sitting on my bed surrounded by broken glass and I've no idea what to do. The walls and roof are just hanging, it's terrifying," she added.
The local newspaper, The Press, said it was felt widely across the South Island, including Christchurch and the nearby port city of Timaru.
New Zealand lies at the southern end of the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, and above an area of the Earth's crust where the Pacific Plate converges with the Indo-Australian Plate.
The country experiences more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which only around 20 have a magnitude in excess of 5.0.
The last fatal earthquake was in 1968, when a 7.1-magnitude tremor killed three people on the South Island's western coast.
Red Cross has begun accepting donations to help people affected by the Canterbury earthquake.
IF you would like to give a donation, here is the information:
The New Zealand Red Cross says people can donate at www.redcross.org.nz or make an automatic $20 donation by phoning 0900 33 200.
HERE IS THE ARTICLE I POSTED EARLIER TODAY.
State of emergency after 7.1 quake hits Christchurch
I have been posting regular articles and photos on disasters ever since I started by blog more than three years ago. I never thought for one moment that my hometown in New Zealand, Christchurch would be hit by an earthquake.
State of emergency after 7.1 quake hits Christchurch.
The first thing I did was contacted by two daughters who live in Christchurch and they are OK. Ruia, who lives in my house said, "We are OK, but your wine glasses are broken, Dad." Aroha, my other daughter was on her way to the airport and managed to make it, but the airport was closed.
A massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake has hit Christchurch, flattening buildings, seriously injuring residents and causing widespread damage.
The quake - initially reported at 7.4 magnitude but later downgraded - was centred 30km west of the city and 33km underground. It hit at 4.35am and has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks.
The quake was felt widely across the South Island and as far north as Wellington and Palmerston North.
Power is out to most of Christchurch and rural Canterbury, and the central city has been closed down by police because of the amount of rubble in the streets. Water pipes have ruptured and there are reports of flooding in some eastern Christchurch areas.
As many as 1000 residents from Christchurch's seaside suburbs may be evacuated due to flooding from broken water and sewage pipes. Civil Defence said a decision would be made shortly on whether to evacuate residents from New Brighton to Aranui or Linwood High Schools.
LATEST: Mayor Bob Parker has told shaken Canterbury residents that support has been offered from the ''highest levels of Government''.
Parker was speaking at a Civil Defence press conference outside a temporary headquarters at the Christchurch Art Gallery today.
Christchurch - and the wider South Island - was rocked by the massive 7.1 magnitude quake at 4.35am. Buildings were flattened, residents injured and infrastructure damaged.
The quake - initially reported at 7.4 magnitude but later downgraded - was centred 30km west of the city and 33km underground. It has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks.
A state of emergency has been declared and will be in place until Monday or Tuesday. The CBD is in lockdown until at least tomorrow.
''There has not been a house or a family in our city who have not suffered damage in some way,'' Parker said.
''But this is a city working together to do what we can before nightfall.
''We have had immediate response and offers of support from the highest levels of government. However, we will only ask for it if we need it.''
The fine weather had been a blessing, he said. However, Met Service has issued a severe weather warning for tomorrow, with gale force winds expected for much of the South Island.
Emergency services have rescued about 10 people from holes in the ground including a person who was trapped in a pit in River Road after the ground collapsed.
The state of emergency was declared shortly before 10am after Civil Defence Minister John Carter described the quake as a significant disaster. He urged people not to panic.
So far, two people have been reported seriously injured in the quake.
One man in his fifties was hit by a falling chimney and is now in a serious condition in the intensive care unit in Christchurch Hospital.
Another man in his fifties has serious injuries after being cut by glass in the earthquake.
A fire fighter in New Brighton inspects a crack in the road.
The Director of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, John Hamilton, said the National Crisis Management Centre has been activated to co-ordinate central government response if required.
Search and rescue teams have been deployed to the central city to check for trapped people in the rubble of the quake.
Christchurch fire service spokesman Mike Bowden there were a number of people trapped in their houses and other buildings by falling chimneys, jammed doors and blocked entrances.
However, there were no reports of people pinned underneath rubble so far.
Mr Bowden said the station had been flooded with calls but fire services were only responding to "cases of life and death."
RESIDENTS' CONCERN
Colleen Simpson, from Christchurch, said everyone was out in the street in their pyjamas after the quake hit, looking scared and worried. There was no power, buildings were down and the mobile network was failing.
"Oh my God. There is a row of shops completely demolished right in front of me," she said, from her car.
Simpson and her young family were heading to her sister's house, where there was still power, so everyone could be together.
INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE
About five per cent of buildings in central Christchurch have been damaged and streets are littered with the rubble of building facades.
Many minor bridges have been damaged but all major bridges and road transport routes are okay. The surface of Avonside Drive, in eastern Christchurch, has a huge crack across it.
The rail network has been shutdown as inspections are made. Christchurch Airport has also been closed as a precaution but there is no early suggestion of damage.
The Fire Service has divided the city into grids and is sending staff into each area to assess the damage.
Residents have been asked not to drive into the central city.
All Canterbury emergency coordination centres - including Selwyn, Timaru, Waimakariri and Hurunui districts - have been activated.
Civil Defence is asking residents in those areas not to use their cellphones unless for emergencies. And people have been warned that cellphone coverage could fall out later today.
A spokesperson for lines company Orion said sewer lines and water pipes have ruptured, and whole substations are offline. Power is off to 75 percent of Christchurch and all of rural Canterbury.
Power was expected to be restored to 90 percent of the city by nightfall, however there would be pockets where power would not be able to be restored due to damage.
Damage reports for rural areas were yet to be done, the spokesperson said.
Residents have been urged to conserve water.
There have been reports of looting in central Christchurch following the quake.
Inspector Mike Coleman said police had cordoned off central Christchurch as it was dangerous but also because looters had already been active.
''There's considerable damage there, and we've already had reports of looting,'' he told Radio New Zealand.
''Shop windows are broken and obviously it's easy pickings for displays and things.''
Additional police staff had been sent out to patrol the city streets.
Police said damage and power outages have been reported from as far away as Dunedin.
The rail network in the South Island has been shut down while it is inspected for damage.
HEALTH CARE
Christchurch Hospital's emergency department has also seen a number of people with minor injuries - mainly cuts and bruises, but also some broken bones.
Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman Michele Hider said they were still assessing damage to hospitals and still experiencing after shocks
People who need medical assistance for minor injuries they should go the 24 Hour after hours surgery in Bealey Ave.
She asked people not to go to Christchurch Hospital's Emergency Department unless it is an emergency.
Christchurch hospital is running on generator power.
St John Ambulance said services were fully functioning but urged medical alarm users not to activate them unless they were injured or unwell.
CITY RESPONSE
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker, speaking from the city's emergency centre, said City Care staff were trying to assess damage and clear roads where they could.
Extra staff were manning a phone line for the public to call in reports of damage 03-941 8999.
There were reports coming in of damage in the suburbs around Christchurch, as well as the coastal suburbs, he said.
"There is a lot of damage that I've been able to observe, mainly of old brick and masonry buildings".
He said people should check on their neighbours and there had been reports of minor injuries.
"I understand it's been very busy at Christchurch Hospital's emergency department this morning," he told Radio
The quake - initially reported at 7.4 magnitude but later downgraded - was centred 30km west of the city and 33km underground. It hit at 4.35am and has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks.
The quake was felt widely across the South Island and as far north as Wellington and Palmerston North.
Power is out to most of Christchurch and rural Canterbury, and the central city has been closed down by police because of the amount of rubble in the streets. Water pipes have ruptured and there are reports of flooding in some eastern Christchurch areas.
As many as 1000 residents from Christchurch's seaside suburbs may be evacuated due to flooding from broken water and sewage pipes. Civil Defence said a decision would be made shortly on whether to evacuate residents from New Brighton to Aranui or Linwood High Schools.
Emergency services have rescued about 10 people from holes in the ground including a person who was trapped in a pit in River Road after the ground collapsed.
The state of emergency was declared shortly before 10am after Civil Defence Minister John Carter described the quake as a significant disaster. He urged people not to panic.
So far, two people have been reported seriously injured in the quake.
One man in his fifties was hit by a falling chimney and is now in a serious condition in the intensive care unit in Christchurch Hospital.
Another man in his fifties has serious injuries after being cut by glass in the earthquake.
The Director of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, John Hamilton, said the National Crisis Management Centre has been activated to co-ordinate central government response if required.
Search and rescue teams have been deployed to the central city to check for trapped people in the rubble of the quake.
Christchurch fire service spokesman Mike Bowden there were a number of people trapped in their houses and other buildings by falling chimneys, jammed doors and blocked entrances.
However, there were no reports of people pinned underneath rubble so far.
Mr Bowden said the station had been flooded with calls but fire services were only responding to "cases of life and death."
RESIDENTS' CONCERN
Colleen Simpson, from Christchurch, said everyone was out in the street in their pyjamas after the quake hit, looking scared and worried. There was no power, buildings were down and the mobile network was failing.
"Oh my God. There is a row of shops completely demolished right in front of me," she said, from her car.
Simpson and her young family were heading to her sister's house, where there was still power, so everyone could be together.
INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE
About five per cent of buildings in central Christchurch have been damaged and streets are littered with the rubble of building facades.
Many minor bridges have been damaged but all major bridges and road transport routes are okay. The surface of Avonside Drive, in eastern Christchurch, has a huge crack across it.
The rail network has been shutdown as inspections are made. Christchurch Airport has also been closed as a precaution but there is no early suggestion of damage.
The Fire Service has divided the city into grids and is sending staff into each area to assess the damage.
Residents have been asked not to drive into the central city.
All Canterbury emergency coordination centres - including Selwyn, Timaru, Waimakariri and Hurunui districts - have been activated.
Civil Defence is asking residents in those areas not to use their cellphones unless for emergencies. And people have been warned that cellphone coverage could fall out later today.
A spokesperson for lines company Orion said sewer lines and water pipes have ruptured, and whole substations are offline. Power is off to 75 percent of Christchurch and all of rural Canterbury.
Power was expected to be restored to 90 percent of the city by nightfall, however there would be pockets where power would not be able to be restored due to damage.
Damage reports for rural areas were yet to be done, the spokesperson said.
Residents have been urged to conserve water.
There have been reports of looting in central Christchurch following the quake.
Inspector Mike Coleman said police had cordoned off central Christchurch as it was dangerous but also because looters had already been active.
''There's considerable damage there, and we've already had reports of looting,'' he told Radio New Zealand.
''Shop windows are broken and obviously it's easy pickings for displays and things.''
Additional police staff had been sent out to patrol the city streets.
Police said damage and power outages have been reported from as far away as Dunedin.
The rail network in the South Island has been shut down while it is inspected for damage.
HEALTH CARE
Christchurch Hospital's emergency department has also seen a number of people with minor injuries - mainly cuts and bruises, but also some broken bones.
Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman Michele Hider said they were still assessing damage to hospitals and still experiencing after shocks
People who need medical assistance for minor injuries they should go the 24 Hour after hours surgery in Bealey Ave.
She asked people not to go to Christchurch Hospital's Emergency Department unless it is an emergency.
Christchurch hospital is running on generator power.
St John Ambulance said services were fully functioning but urged medical alarm users not to activate them unless they were injured or unwell.
CITY RESPONSE
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker, speaking from the city's emergency centre, said City Care staff were trying to assess damage and clear roads where they could.
Extra staff were manning a phone line for the public to call in reports of damage 03-941 8999.
There were reports coming in of damage in the suburbs around Christchurch, as well as the coastal suburbs, he said.
"There is a lot of damage that I've been able to observe, mainly of old brick and masonry buildings".
He said people should check on their neighbours and there had been reports of minor injuries.
"I understand it's been very busy at Christchurch Hospital's emergency department this morning," he told Radio
New Zealand's biggest quakes
The 7.4 magnitude earthquake is the largest to hit New Zealand since the 7.8 magnitude quake in Dusky Sound which last year.
That quake, which was not near a populated area and did not cause damage, was the largest in the country in nearly 80 years.
This morning’s quake was the seventh largest earthquake in New Zealand in recent history.
The Shaky Isles biggest quakes:
- M 7.8, Dusky Sound, July 15 2009 This earthquake in Fiordland was New Zealand's largest for nearly 80 years.
- M 6.8, Gisborne, December 20 2007 This offshore event caused buildings to collapse in the Gisborne CBD.
- M 6.5, Edgecumbe, March 2 1987 The shallow origin of this earthquake made it very destructive.
- M 7.1, Inangahua, May 24 1968 The 1968 Inangahua earthquake caused widespread damage and was felt over much of the country.
- M 7.0, Wairarapa II, August 2 1942 The shock that struck the Wairarapa Region on August 2 was nearly as severe as the disastrous June 24 earthquake five weeks earlier.
- M 7.2, Wairarapa I, June 24 1942 This earthquake severely rocked the lower North Island on June 24 1942, causing extensive damage to local buildings.
- M 7.6, Horoeka (Pahiatua), March 5 1934 The 1934 Horoeka earthquake shook the lower North Island on March 5 1934 and was felt as far away as Auckland and Dunedin.
- M 7.8, Hawke's Bay, February 3 1931 The 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake caused the largest loss of life and most extensive damage of any quake in New Zealand’s recorded history.
- M 7.8, Buller (Murchison), June 17 1929 The massive rumbling of the 1929 Buller earthquake was heard as far away as New Plymouth.
- M 7.1, North Canterbury, September 1 1888 In 1888 the Amuri District was shaken by a large earthquake that reached intensities of MM 9.
- M 8.2, Wairarapa, January 23 1855 The 1855 earthquake is the most severe earthquake to have occurred in New Zealand since systematic European colonisation began in 1840.
- M 7.8, Marlborough, October 16 1848 The earthquake that shook Marlborough on October 16 1848 was the largest in a series of earthquakes to hit the region that year.
Thanks to Stuff NZ for permission to run photos and text.
Police said the curfew was intended to protect people from falling debris, as the quake caused significant damage.
The mayor of the city, Bob Parker, described the scale of the damage as immense, and a state of emergency has been declared.
There have been strong aftershocks, and weather forecasters say gale force winds are expected within 24 hours.
The earthquake struck off New Zealand's South Island, the US Geological Survey has said, in the early hours of the morning when most people were asleep.
The epicentre was 55km (35 miles) north-west of Christchurch, at a depth of 12 km (7.5 miles).
Two men were seriously injured by falling masonry and glass, but there have been no reports of fatalities.
"The damages are incredibly frightening. The only thing you can say it's a miracle that no-one lost their life," Prime Minister John Key told TV NZ.
Many homeowners faced a cold winter's night and leaking or damaged homes. Hours after the quake, one building in the Christchurch city centre burst into flames, following a suspected gas leak.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the "sharp, vicious earthquake" had caused significant damage in parts of the city.
He said daylight showed that the damage 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," he said on national radio.
"I think it's like an iceberg; there is... below the visible line, significant structural damage."
Police said damage and power outages had been reported as far afield as Dunedin, 360km (223miles) to the south-west.
Chimneys and walls had fallen from older buildings, with roads blocked, traffic lights out and power, gas and water supplies disrupted, he added.
"There is considerable damage in the central city and we've also had reports of looting, just shop windows broken and easy picking of displays," police inspector Mike Coleman told Radio New Zealand. "It's very unsafe to be out and about."
Susan Birkbeck, who lives in the centre of Christchurch, told the BBC: "It was absolutely shocking, we're all terrified and scared of what's going to happen next."
Daylight showed extensive damage "I was asleep when suddenly the house started shaking and there was this smashing sound, I thought a large truck had just driven through the front window."
"I'm now sitting on my bed surrounded by broken glass and I've no idea what to do. The walls and roof are just hanging, it's terrifying," she added.
The local newspaper, The Press, said it was felt widely across the South Island, including Christchurch and the nearby port city of Timaru.
New Zealand lies at the southern end of the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, and above an area of the Earth's crust where the Pacific Plate converges with the Indo-Australian Plate.
The country experiences more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which only around 20 have a magnitude in excess of 5.0.
The last fatal earthquake was in 1968, when a 7.1-magnitude tremor killed three people on the South Island's western coast.
Red Cross has begun accepting donations to help people affected by the Canterbury earthquake.
IF you would like to give a donation, here is the information:
The New Zealand Red Cross says people can donate at www.redcross.org.nz or make an automatic $20 donation by phoning 0900 33 200.
HERE IS THE ARTICLE I POSTED EARLIER TODAY.
State of emergency after 7.1 quake hits Christchurch
State of emergency after 7.1 quake hits Christchurch.
The first thing I did was contacted by two daughters who live in Christchurch and they are OK. Ruia, who lives in my house said, "We are OK, but your wine glasses are broken, Dad." Aroha, my other daughter was on her way to the airport and managed to make it, but the airport was closed.
The quake - initially reported at 7.4 magnitude but later downgraded - was centred 30km west of the city and 33km underground. It hit at 4.35am and has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks.
The quake was felt widely across the South Island and as far north as Wellington and Palmerston North.
As many as 1000 residents from Christchurch's seaside suburbs may be evacuated due to flooding from broken water and sewage pipes. Civil Defence said a decision would be made shortly on whether to evacuate residents from New Brighton to Aranui or Linwood High Schools.
LATEST: Mayor Bob Parker has told shaken Canterbury residents that support has been offered from the ''highest levels of Government''.
Parker was speaking at a Civil Defence press conference outside a temporary headquarters at the Christchurch Art Gallery today.
Christchurch - and the wider South Island - was rocked by the massive 7.1 magnitude quake at 4.35am. Buildings were flattened, residents injured and infrastructure damaged.
The quake - initially reported at 7.4 magnitude but later downgraded - was centred 30km west of the city and 33km underground. It has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks.
A state of emergency has been declared and will be in place until Monday or Tuesday. The CBD is in lockdown until at least tomorrow.
''There has not been a house or a family in our city who have not suffered damage in some way,'' Parker said.
''But this is a city working together to do what we can before nightfall.
''We have had immediate response and offers of support from the highest levels of government. However, we will only ask for it if we need it.''
The fine weather had been a blessing, he said. However, Met Service has issued a severe weather warning for tomorrow, with gale force winds expected for much of the South Island.
Emergency services have rescued about 10 people from holes in the ground including a person who was trapped in a pit in River Road after the ground collapsed.
The state of emergency was declared shortly before 10am after Civil Defence Minister John Carter described the quake as a significant disaster. He urged people not to panic.
So far, two people have been reported seriously injured in the quake.
One man in his fifties was hit by a falling chimney and is now in a serious condition in the intensive care unit in Christchurch Hospital.
Another man in his fifties has serious injuries after being cut by glass in the earthquake.
A fire fighter in New Brighton inspects a crack in the road.
The Director of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, John Hamilton, said the National Crisis Management Centre has been activated to co-ordinate central government response if required.
Search and rescue teams have been deployed to the central city to check for trapped people in the rubble of the quake.
Christchurch fire service spokesman Mike Bowden there were a number of people trapped in their houses and other buildings by falling chimneys, jammed doors and blocked entrances.
However, there were no reports of people pinned underneath rubble so far.
Mr Bowden said the station had been flooded with calls but fire services were only responding to "cases of life and death."
RESIDENTS' CONCERN
Colleen Simpson, from Christchurch, said everyone was out in the street in their pyjamas after the quake hit, looking scared and worried. There was no power, buildings were down and the mobile network was failing.
"Oh my God. There is a row of shops completely demolished right in front of me," she said, from her car.
Simpson and her young family were heading to her sister's house, where there was still power, so everyone could be together.
INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE
About five per cent of buildings in central Christchurch have been damaged and streets are littered with the rubble of building facades.
Many minor bridges have been damaged but all major bridges and road transport routes are okay. The surface of Avonside Drive, in eastern Christchurch, has a huge crack across it.
The rail network has been shutdown as inspections are made. Christchurch Airport has also been closed as a precaution but there is no early suggestion of damage.
The Fire Service has divided the city into grids and is sending staff into each area to assess the damage.
Residents have been asked not to drive into the central city.
All Canterbury emergency coordination centres - including Selwyn, Timaru, Waimakariri and Hurunui districts - have been activated.
Civil Defence is asking residents in those areas not to use their cellphones unless for emergencies. And people have been warned that cellphone coverage could fall out later today.
A spokesperson for lines company Orion said sewer lines and water pipes have ruptured, and whole substations are offline. Power is off to 75 percent of Christchurch and all of rural Canterbury.
Power was expected to be restored to 90 percent of the city by nightfall, however there would be pockets where power would not be able to be restored due to damage.
Damage reports for rural areas were yet to be done, the spokesperson said.
Residents have been urged to conserve water.
There have been reports of looting in central Christchurch following the quake.
Inspector Mike Coleman said police had cordoned off central Christchurch as it was dangerous but also because looters had already been active.
''There's considerable damage there, and we've already had reports of looting,'' he told Radio New Zealand.
''Shop windows are broken and obviously it's easy pickings for displays and things.''
Additional police staff had been sent out to patrol the city streets.
Police said damage and power outages have been reported from as far away as Dunedin.
The rail network in the South Island has been shut down while it is inspected for damage.
HEALTH CARE
Christchurch Hospital's emergency department has also seen a number of people with minor injuries - mainly cuts and bruises, but also some broken bones.
Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman Michele Hider said they were still assessing damage to hospitals and still experiencing after shocks
People who need medical assistance for minor injuries they should go the 24 Hour after hours surgery in Bealey Ave.
She asked people not to go to Christchurch Hospital's Emergency Department unless it is an emergency.
Christchurch hospital is running on generator power.
St John Ambulance said services were fully functioning but urged medical alarm users not to activate them unless they were injured or unwell.
CITY RESPONSE
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker, speaking from the city's emergency centre, said City Care staff were trying to assess damage and clear roads where they could.
Extra staff were manning a phone line for the public to call in reports of damage 03-941 8999.
There were reports coming in of damage in the suburbs around Christchurch, as well as the coastal suburbs, he said.
"There is a lot of damage that I've been able to observe, mainly of old brick and masonry buildings".
He said people should check on their neighbours and there had been reports of minor injuries.
"I understand it's been very busy at Christchurch Hospital's emergency department this morning," he told Radio
The quake - initially reported at 7.4 magnitude but later downgraded - was centred 30km west of the city and 33km underground. It hit at 4.35am and has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks.
The quake was felt widely across the South Island and as far north as Wellington and Palmerston North.
Power is out to most of Christchurch and rural Canterbury, and the central city has been closed down by police because of the amount of rubble in the streets. Water pipes have ruptured and there are reports of flooding in some eastern Christchurch areas.
As many as 1000 residents from Christchurch's seaside suburbs may be evacuated due to flooding from broken water and sewage pipes. Civil Defence said a decision would be made shortly on whether to evacuate residents from New Brighton to Aranui or Linwood High Schools.
Emergency services have rescued about 10 people from holes in the ground including a person who was trapped in a pit in River Road after the ground collapsed.
The state of emergency was declared shortly before 10am after Civil Defence Minister John Carter described the quake as a significant disaster. He urged people not to panic.
So far, two people have been reported seriously injured in the quake.
One man in his fifties was hit by a falling chimney and is now in a serious condition in the intensive care unit in Christchurch Hospital.
Another man in his fifties has serious injuries after being cut by glass in the earthquake.
The Director of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, John Hamilton, said the National Crisis Management Centre has been activated to co-ordinate central government response if required.
Search and rescue teams have been deployed to the central city to check for trapped people in the rubble of the quake.
Christchurch fire service spokesman Mike Bowden there were a number of people trapped in their houses and other buildings by falling chimneys, jammed doors and blocked entrances.
However, there were no reports of people pinned underneath rubble so far.
Mr Bowden said the station had been flooded with calls but fire services were only responding to "cases of life and death."
RESIDENTS' CONCERN
Colleen Simpson, from Christchurch, said everyone was out in the street in their pyjamas after the quake hit, looking scared and worried. There was no power, buildings were down and the mobile network was failing.
"Oh my God. There is a row of shops completely demolished right in front of me," she said, from her car.
Simpson and her young family were heading to her sister's house, where there was still power, so everyone could be together.
INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE
About five per cent of buildings in central Christchurch have been damaged and streets are littered with the rubble of building facades.
Many minor bridges have been damaged but all major bridges and road transport routes are okay. The surface of Avonside Drive, in eastern Christchurch, has a huge crack across it.
The rail network has been shutdown as inspections are made. Christchurch Airport has also been closed as a precaution but there is no early suggestion of damage.
The Fire Service has divided the city into grids and is sending staff into each area to assess the damage.
Residents have been asked not to drive into the central city.
All Canterbury emergency coordination centres - including Selwyn, Timaru, Waimakariri and Hurunui districts - have been activated.
Civil Defence is asking residents in those areas not to use their cellphones unless for emergencies. And people have been warned that cellphone coverage could fall out later today.
A spokesperson for lines company Orion said sewer lines and water pipes have ruptured, and whole substations are offline. Power is off to 75 percent of Christchurch and all of rural Canterbury.
Power was expected to be restored to 90 percent of the city by nightfall, however there would be pockets where power would not be able to be restored due to damage.
Damage reports for rural areas were yet to be done, the spokesperson said.
Residents have been urged to conserve water.
There have been reports of looting in central Christchurch following the quake.
Inspector Mike Coleman said police had cordoned off central Christchurch as it was dangerous but also because looters had already been active.
''There's considerable damage there, and we've already had reports of looting,'' he told Radio New Zealand.
''Shop windows are broken and obviously it's easy pickings for displays and things.''
Additional police staff had been sent out to patrol the city streets.
Police said damage and power outages have been reported from as far away as Dunedin.
The rail network in the South Island has been shut down while it is inspected for damage.
HEALTH CARE
Christchurch Hospital's emergency department has also seen a number of people with minor injuries - mainly cuts and bruises, but also some broken bones.
Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman Michele Hider said they were still assessing damage to hospitals and still experiencing after shocks
People who need medical assistance for minor injuries they should go the 24 Hour after hours surgery in Bealey Ave.
She asked people not to go to Christchurch Hospital's Emergency Department unless it is an emergency.
Christchurch hospital is running on generator power.
St John Ambulance said services were fully functioning but urged medical alarm users not to activate them unless they were injured or unwell.
CITY RESPONSE
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker, speaking from the city's emergency centre, said City Care staff were trying to assess damage and clear roads where they could.
Extra staff were manning a phone line for the public to call in reports of damage 03-941 8999.
There were reports coming in of damage in the suburbs around Christchurch, as well as the coastal suburbs, he said.
"There is a lot of damage that I've been able to observe, mainly of old brick and masonry buildings".
He said people should check on their neighbours and there had been reports of minor injuries.
"I understand it's been very busy at Christchurch Hospital's emergency department this morning," he told Radio
New Zealand's biggest quakes
The 7.4 magnitude earthquake is the largest to hit New Zealand since the 7.8 magnitude quake in Dusky Sound which last year.
That quake, which was not near a populated area and did not cause damage, was the largest in the country in nearly 80 years.
This morning’s quake was the seventh largest earthquake in New Zealand in recent history.
The Shaky Isles biggest quakes:
- M 7.8, Dusky Sound, July 15 2009 This earthquake in Fiordland was New Zealand's largest for nearly 80 years.
- M 6.8, Gisborne, December 20 2007 This offshore event caused buildings to collapse in the Gisborne CBD.
- M 6.5, Edgecumbe, March 2 1987 The shallow origin of this earthquake made it very destructive.
- M 7.1, Inangahua, May 24 1968 The 1968 Inangahua earthquake caused widespread damage and was felt over much of the country.
- M 7.0, Wairarapa II, August 2 1942 The shock that struck the Wairarapa Region on August 2 was nearly as severe as the disastrous June 24 earthquake five weeks earlier.
- M 7.2, Wairarapa I, June 24 1942 This earthquake severely rocked the lower North Island on June 24 1942, causing extensive damage to local buildings.
- M 7.6, Horoeka (Pahiatua), March 5 1934 The 1934 Horoeka earthquake shook the lower North Island on March 5 1934 and was felt as far away as Auckland and Dunedin.
- M 7.8, Hawke's Bay, February 3 1931 The 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake caused the largest loss of life and most extensive damage of any quake in New Zealand’s recorded history.
- M 7.8, Buller (Murchison), June 17 1929 The massive rumbling of the 1929 Buller earthquake was heard as far away as New Plymouth.
- M 7.1, North Canterbury, September 1 1888 In 1888 the Amuri District was shaken by a large earthquake that reached intensities of MM 9.
- M 8.2, Wairarapa, January 23 1855 The 1855 earthquake is the most severe earthquake to have occurred in New Zealand since systematic European colonisation began in 1840.
- M 7.8, Marlborough, October 16 1848 The earthquake that shook Marlborough on October 16 1848 was the largest in a series of earthquakes to hit the region that year.
Thanks to Stuff NZ for permission to run photos and text.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)