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New Zealand's second largest city, Christchurch was hit by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake just before 1pm today. It was 5km deep and the epicenter 10km south east of the city, just 5km from the town of Lyttelton. While lower of the rictor scale than the quake that struck last September, this one was closer and shallower. Fatalities have been confirmed but there is no offical death toll yet. Two city buses have been covered in debris and there have been multiple building collapses. Civil defense have declared a level 3 emergency, the highest ever used in New Zealand. The airport and seaport have closed and 80% of the city is without power.
The central city, packed with people in the middle of their work day, is currently being evacuated. News website Stuff's running report declared that "Central Christchurch was in a state of chaos." According to Radio New Zealand concrete in Victoria Square had lifted at least a metre in some places and there are signs of liquefaction around the Avon River. Because of damage to the roads fires in the central city had to be put out with monsoon buckets.
In the suburbs there have been reports of burst water pipes, liquefaction and significant damage to shopping malls. The Ferrymead bridge is reported to be impassable because of rising water. Triage centres have been established for people with injuries at Latimer Square, Central City, Spotlight Mall, Sydenham and Sanitarium, Papanui. Stuff has set up an aggregate page of twitter feeds for instant updates as they appear.
