Sandy
Christchurch: Rescuers used their bare hands, dogs, and heavy machines on Wednesday in an urgent search for survivors still trapped in crumbled buildings more than 24 hours after an earthquake devastated one of New Zealand's largest cities.
The confirmed death toll from Tuesday's magnitude-6.3 quake in Christchurch rose to 75, and officials said it was almost sure to climb further.
Some 300 people were listed as missing.
Images broadcast on New Zealand Television showed extensive damage to the cities of Redcliffs and Lyttelton which were closest to the epicentre of the earthquake that struck at a shallow depth of five kilometres (3.1 miles) on Tuesday lunch-time and ravaged nearby Christchurch.
Police have announced a night-time curfew in parts of Christchurch. The city's Superintendent did not say what time the curfew would be lifted.
Officials have urged the city's 350,000 residents to stay home unless absolutely necessary during the initial stage of the emergency.
Prime Minister John Key declared a national state of emergency as hundreds of soldiers, police and other emergency workers - including specialist teams from the U.S., Australia, Japan and other countries - rushed to Christchurch as aftershocks continued to strike the area.
Posted in: Disasters
