Major quake devastates New Zealand's Christchurch, at least 65 dead

[News_Editor]

Major quake devastates New Zealand's Christchurch, at least 65 dead

2011-02-22 12:34:25 GMT+7 (ICT)

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND (BNO NEWS) -- At least 65 people were killed on early Tuesday afternoon when a strong earthquake struck near the New Zealand city of Christchurch, officials said. A state of emergency has been declared.

The first earthquake, a magnitude 6.3 on the Richter scale at 12.51 p.m. local time (2351 GMT Monday), was centered about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southeast of Christchurch, the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. It struck about 5 kilometers (3 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GeoNet), the country's seismological agency.

Minutes later, at 1.04 p.m. local time (0004 GMT Tuesday), a 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck the same location at a depth of just 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). It was followed by a 5.5-magnitude earthquake at 2.50 p.m. local time (0150 GMT), as well as other but smaller aftershocks.

Police said there was widespread damage and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key confirmed at least 65 dead. "Multiple fatalities have been reported at several locations in the central city, including two buses crushed by falling buildings," said Stephen Hill, a Police District Communications Manager. "A doctor and emergency services are attending."

Hill said multiple buildings have collapsed while other buildings are on fire, with people still trapped inside. One local television station reported that as many as 200 people could be trapped in one building alone. This was not immediately confirmed by officials.

"The National Crisis Management Centre has been activated. MCDEM is standing up all available Urban Search and Rescue teams," the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM) said. "USAR support from Australia is being mobilized, while support from the United States is on standy."

MCDEM added that Christchurch hospital has re-opened after it was earlier evacuated as a precaution. "Only one ward was damaged," it said. Three triage centers have been established in Central City, Sydenham and Papanui. Wellington Hospital is on stand-by to receive patients if required.

Christchurch City declared a state of emergency at 2.45 p.m. local time as rescue operations continue. Damage was also reported to the Lyttelton Port of Christchurch, although the extent of the damage was not immediately known.

Emergency services were scrambling to respond to the earthquake, and police said defence forces were being called in to assist. It gave no other details.

Meanwhile, Christchurch International Airport was briefly evacuated because of the earthquake and all incoming flights have been diverted or canceled until at least 8 a.m. local time on Wednesday. "Christchurch International Airport is open for emergency flights only," MCDEM said, adding that the runway is being assessed. Police said there were no injuries at the airport.

Telecom New Zealand said some of its network sites have been "badly damaged" and are not working, while others are operating on battery back-up power. "Telecom is working intensively to understand which services have been affected by today's earthquake and get these restored as soon as possible," the telephone company said.

It added: "To minimize the stress on the network and to conserve back-up power we ask people to only use their phones for emergency calls." Telecom also moved to enable free calling from 280 payphones in and around Christchurch for local, national and mobile calls, while payphone calling will be free from 3 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

Last year, a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck just kilometers (miles) from Tuesday's epicenter. Some 100 people were injured in that earthquake, but there were no fatalities.

A geophysicist at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said it was not yet able to determine if Tuesday's earthquake was an aftershock to the earthquake September. "But it is close," he said, adding that the agency is still investigating.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-02-22

[Chris Lawrence]

Have been watching the reports on TV. Some of the reports have been very graphic. My prayers go to the people in Christchurch and their families.

Reports of after shocks also coming thru.

[Scott]

Earthquakes are very hard to deal with. It is not only the physical damage that is devastating, but it takes a huge emotional toll on survivors.

When the very earth we stand on can't be trusted, there really isn't much that can be.

My thoughts are with the people of New Zealand.

[jdinasia]

More on the story here ..... I know that there are Thai people studying at the school mentioned in the story.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110222/wl_nm/us_newzealand_quake

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – A strong earthquake killed at least 65 people in New Zealand's second-biggest city of Christchurch on Tuesday, with more casualties expected as rescuers worked into the night to find scores of people trapped inside collapsed buildings.It was the second quake to hit the city of almost 400,000 people in five months, and New Zealand's most deadly natural disaster for 80 years.

"We may well be witnessing New Zealand's darkest day...The death toll I have at the moment is 65 and that may rise," said New Zealand Prime Minister John Key</span>, who had flown to his home town of Christchurch, where he still has family.

The 6.3 magnitude quake struck at lunchtime, when streets and shops thronged with people and offices were still occupied.

</span>

Rescuers, working under lights in rain, focused on two collapsed buildings: a financial-services office block whose four stories pancaked on top of each other, and a TV building which also housed an English-language school.

Let's hope this doesn't end up being a story that is a Thai tragedy as well!

[jdinasia]

This article has scenes of major devastation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1359354/New-Zealand-earthquake-Many-feared-dead-Christchurch.html

I am watching the video reports online now.

[jdinasia]

BBC slideshow here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12533722

[jdinasia]

We are still awaiting word from several Thai nurses that were studying at the CTV building, in a licensure program. We have been in contact with the Royal Thai Embassy in New Zealand as well as people on the ground in Christchurch. I will update this when I know more.

jd

[jdinasia]

http://www.thairath....t/region/151095

http://newsreport.tr...og2/entry/27691

I do not have the time to translate these stories into English. Perhaps Meadish or others can .....

The 6 Thai women are all nurses and several are very close friends of mine.

Despite earlier reports that they had called off rescue attempts at the CTV building (Cantebury TV) where the language school and nurses programs are; Australia News has indicated that they are still working at that site.

Edited February 23, 2011 by jdinasia

[jdinasia]

We just saw one of our nurses (not on the missing list) give an interview on the Australia Network.

[a99az]

My sister in Christchurch said the place looks like hell, she is lucky and has only lost water supply. My mum in Ashburton some 45km away said they felt the place shake.

[jdinasia]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Six-Thai-students-missing-30149342.html

Six of Thai students are still missing in the deadly quake in Christchurch, New Zealand, Thai Ambassador to New Zealand Noppadon Theppitak revealed yesterday.<br style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; list-style-type: none; text-decoration: none; ">There were 11 Thai nurse students in the collapsed CTV building, the Ambassador said. Five have been located, but six could not be accounted for so far, the ambassador said. The Thai nurse students were studying language when the CTV building collapsed. <br style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; list-style-type: none; text-decoration: none; ">Noppadon said the Embassy was very worried about the missing Thais and Thai staff from the Embassy will inspect the place Thursday. <br style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; list-style-type: none; text-decoration: none; ">The six students who are still missing are identified as Thanida (Koy), Wanphen (Nok), Pimporn (Meaw), Siriphan (Fon), Jitra (Ta), Haruetaya (Jeab). Hotline for Thais in New Zealand: 001 64 214 19300. Ambassador's phone number is 001 64 214 03570.

from The Nation

[jdinasia]

I honestly can't believe that this has not been moved to the Thailand news section.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2011/02/24/national/6-Thais-missing-after-quake-30149425.html

Nursing graduates are believed to have been in Christchurch when their building collapsed. Thai govt offers Bt2.3 million assistance, having talks to dispatch relief supplies to New Zealand.

Six Thai students in Christchurch are still missing after Tuesday's deadly earthquake, Thailand's ambassador to New Zealand Noppadon Theppitak said yesterday.The 6.3-magnitude quake toppled buildings, ripped apart roads and caused huge casualties. The missing Thai students were believed to have been in the CTV building when it collapsed, Noppadon said.

"They were among 11 Thai nursing graduates who were taking a language course there," he said. "Five others are safe because they were not in the class at that time," he added.

Noppadon quoted the five students as saying that an Indonesian student, who also attended class in the building on Tuesday, believed the six Thais might have been there at the time of the quake.

The ambassador said no one could confirm whether they were there or not because it was lunchtime. The Indonesian student went out of the building at that time.

Thitalapa Mangkorn, one of the 11 students, said the classroom was on the third floor of the five-storey building. "I will stay here in Christchurch to search for my missing friends," she said from an apartment that had no electricity.

Noppadon said the embassy was very worried about the missing Thais. Today, he and Thai staff from the embassy will go to a forensics institute where the bodies of 20 unidentified quake victims are kept and to hospitals where more than 100 wounded people are being treated to try to locate the missing Thais.

The six missing Thai students are: Thanida (Koy) Intarangkoon, Wanphen (Nok) Preenaklang, Pimporn (Meaw) Liangchua, Siriphan (Fon) Wongkulkarn, Jitra (Ta) Visuthithadapong, Haruetaya (Jeab) Luangtheerasakul.

A hotline established for Thais in New Zealand is 001 64 214 19300. The ambassador's phone number is 001 64 214 03570

"Many of the missing students' relatives have called up the embassy for help as they are worried about the safety of the students," he added.

There are about 2,000 Thais in Christchurch. The embassy has contacted Wat Buddha Samakhee in Christchurch to provide temporary accommodation to Thais who want to evacuate, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, on behalf of the Thai government and Thai people, expressed deep condolences over the deadly quake.

The condolences were conveyed to his New Zealand counterpart John Key.

Meanwhile, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Theerakul Niyom, sent letters of condolences to their counterparts as well.

The Thai government will donate Bt2.3 million to New Zealand to help the earthquake victims, according to Thani Thongphakdi, director-general of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the Thai government is holding discussions with New Zealand about providing more assistance and to dispatch relief supplies to the survivors.

Since Tuesday's earthquake, at least 75 were reported dead and some 300 others missing. It is one of deadliest quakes to hit the country in 80 years.

The New Zealand government declared a national state of emergency yesterday.

[Roadman]

Updates are slow jd...

The latest report is that there are 9 staff and 35 students from the language school still missing or unaccounted for who are associated to the CTV (Canterbury TV) building. The languauge school was within the building - this is the one that completely collasped and went on fire. The 9 staff are easier to account for as they have not returned home to family etc. and the grim reality is that they are probably deceased. Most of the 35 students are more difficult to account for as they may not have been in the building as it was around lunch time and there is another part of the language school in another building. Add the languauge barriers and the general chaos and there is hope that the number of students who could have been still in the CTV building can be wittled down.

Of the 35 students there are definitely some 10 Japanese that are suspected to have definitely been in the building when it collasped, and a total of 27 of them missing in the city. There was also mention of Fillipino students being in the building with about 12 of them accounted for. There was some early mention of Thai students 24 hours ago but the latest news offerings are not mentioning Thai's. Keep your fingers and toes crossed that they were elsewhere at the time as there is starting to be acceptance that there could be as many as 120 in that building when the quake demolished it.

[jdinasia]

Roadman---

I have been on this story for personal reasons (I personally know the nurses that were in the program at King's Education.

This story and its link to Thailand is now a major story here in Thailand and I have been able to account for 5 of the 11 nurses we have in Christchurch. Two are listed as "status unknown" and 4 are listed as "missing, presumed in building."

We have been in contact with the embassy in NZ as well as the appropriate people here in Thailand trying to get more help and information out of Christchurch. We have also been in contact with people on the ground in Christchurch including detectives and nurses that were further along in the program there, and thus off working or not in class at the time.

The only break I have taken from this since the quake became news is to have some quiet time at the temple next to my office, just to recharge my batteries and be calm enough to deal with the people all over that I have to speak with.

[Roadman]

I'm sorry to break it to you, but it is just on the local news here now.

There are 90 language students missing. That is now also confirmed as missing as in not having reported into people that lived with them or had responsibility for them. It is now becoming reality that most of them were in the CTV building which was abandoned with no further signs of life yesterday. They ran a quick list across the screen in the report and there were Thai girl names there. I didn't catch them as it was quick but they were Thai names.

We are accepting the reality here now that some 300 have died. The current death toll is 98 but that is police ID confirmed with relatives advised. There are 226 missing and that is on the same basis of being reported missing by not arriving to homes, flats, loved ones etc. Half of these are students from all over Asia. The pain of the reality is starting to sink in.

Edited February 24, 2011 by Roadman

[jdinasia]

Yes. I know. I am aware of how each individual is listed at the current time. I am holding out some hope for 2 as they lived alone and were reported not to have been in the CTV building at the time of the collapse. We have been in constant contact with the family.

People assumed in the building at CTV from the school are about 50 ... 9 of them are staff. Another 35 students are listed as "status unknown" and may or may not have been in the building. There is little hope but there is still hope. Nobody has been rescued from the CTV building for over 24 hours. The mission at that building is now listed as recovery (body recovery) and not rescue. There are a few people at hospitals, including some that have been airlifted out that have not been identified due to a lack of consciousness. The Japanese boy that had his leg amputated on site at CTV so they could rescue him is in critical condition but expected to survive. I believe he was conscious long enough yesterday to give a brief interview.

There are another 15 staff members of CTV itself that are presumed lost.

I know it may be foolish but I am still holding on to hope for my 2 close friends that are listed as status unknown ... I fear the other 4 are lost.

[jdinasia]

From yesterday --- MCOT

BANGKOK, Feb 23 -- The Thai embassy in New Zealand's capital of Wellington reported that six Thai nursing students were missing in the Christchurch earthquake after buildings in the city collapsed in the catastrophic earthquake which resulted in nearly 400 dead or missing, according to Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Jesda Katavetin.

Mr Jesda, deputy director general of the Foreign Ministry's Information Department, told reporters that the embassy had already given the list of the missing students to the search and rescue authorities to search for them.

He said that all six were nursing students. Witnesses saw 11 students walked into a building that later collapsed in Tuesday's shallow, 6.3-magnitude tremor. Five were reportedly safe but six went missing.

However, he said the search and rescue workers rescued more than 100 victims from the debris but could not confirm their identities.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that a number of nurses taking courses at the school were missing, including six from Thailand, two from Japan and one from China.

Thai Ambassador Noppadon Theppitak was quoted as saying that there were three categories of casualties: those confirmed dead, those who were injured and rescued but yet to be identified by the New Zealand authorities; and those who are still beneath buildings.

Mr Jesda said that the embassy officials on Thursday would visit the scene while four or five homes of Thais living in the city were damaged from the quake.

Some of the Thai victims did not stay at Buddha Samakhee temple which the embassy had designated as their temporary shelter, but opted to stay at the homes of relatives, he said.

The deputy director general added that communication in Christchurch was still difficult as telephone calls were disrupted for some time.

Teams from Australia, Japan, the United States, Britain, Singapore and Taiwan were to join hundreds of local rescuers digging through the rubble in the second largest city of New Zealand. (MCOT online news)

http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/173389.html

[jdinasia]

From 11 hours ago

http://soccernews.bigsoccer.com/article/02D58UncrX6Yx?q=Christchurch

Hope for Thai nurses buried in earthquake

updated today

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4697913/Asian-newspapers-worried-over-nationals

Missing Japanese, Thai and Korean nationals are making the Christchurch earthquake a local story across Asia.

[Donnyboy]

some photos from the suburbs in Chch

here

[jdinasia]

I am still wondering why this isn't in the Thai news section. (I reported the linkage to Thailand before the Thai press did, and have reported the linkage a couple of more times.)

In today's closed Thailand News thread there is a good article from the Nation, but ....

[jdinasia]

From the King's Education website ---- This is where the nurses were studying and the worst hit building in Christ Church ---- link http://www.kingseduc.../announce3_.php

STATUS OF PERSONNEL AT KINGS EDUCATION AFTER EARTHQUAKE (POSTED 11.20 PM 25/2/11)

We have been advised of the following status of personnel and students connected with the Kings Education building - that collapsed in the Christchurch earthquake. Due to the difficulty in tracing all students (records have been destroyed) we cannot be certain that the status is correct. We are providing this information in the hope of receiving further updates and information from you.

The information on our list has been obtained from the Ministry of Education, Public Trust and eyewitness accounts.

*** indicates a recent change in status due to new information received.

Any further updates should be emailed to [email protected]

By way of explanation:

"Missing presumed in building"... means that the student was seen in the building prior to the earthquake.

"Status unknown"..means that we do not know if the student was in the building or not.

Kings Staff who are unaccounted for

Brian TaylorCristiana CarazoDeborah RobertsElsa Torres DefroodGillian SayersHeidi BergSandra HiiTetaki Tairakena (Wally)Timara Harca (Lia)

Kings Staff who are Accounted for

Margaret AydonMargaret BrayMarie-Claire BrehautMegan MuirsonRon GodkinRosa Scott

Toyama Group Teachers

David HorsleyAdvised safeMs KiyuAdvised safe

Toyama Study Group (all from Japan)

Ayaka NaruseInjured, at Christchurch HospitalChie TanakaWith host familyEmi MurakamiMissingHiroko SatoStaying with NZ resident***Kayo KanamaruMissing presumed in the buildingKento OkudaSeverely injured, at Christchurch HospitalMarina AraiMissingMegumi HoritaMissingMina YamataniMissingNarumi KurodaLiving with host family***Norika MasutaniInjured, at Christchurch HospitalRika IwakuraRescued, in Wellington Hospital***Yuki HasumotoMissingRisa Kakizawaminor injuries, with host family ***Saki YokotaMissingSaori KikudaMissingSaya SakudaMissingTomoki IshikuroMissingYoshiko HirauchiMissing***Yukio MinamiInjured, with host familyYurika UchihiraStatus unknown***

Other students

April Lem Andit (Philippines)Advised safeClarisse Arellano (Philippines)Advised safeDennis Demanawa (Philippines)Advised safeGenelou Guzman (Philippines)Advised safeGilyn Mesiona (Philippines)Advised safeHuiJun To (China)Missingpresumed in buildingJittra Waithayatadapong (Thailand)Status UnknownJohn John Macayadam (Philippines)Status UnknownJuhani Ramos( Philippines)Advised safeLouise Amantillo (Philippines)Missingpresumed in building***Simeon Canto (Philippines)Advised safeSiriphan Wongbunngam (Thailand)Status UnknownValquin Bensurto (Philippines)Missingpresumed in building***Hitomi Inoue (Japan)Advised safe***Hsin Hong Lee (Taiwan)Status UnknownMohammed Alsallum (Saudi Arabia)Advised safe***Naon Yu (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingNawaf Almaki (Saudi Arabia)Advised safeYasuhiro Kitigawa (Japan)Status UnknownCai Ying Ye (China)Missingpresumed in building***Cai Yu (China)Missingpresumed in buildingHaruki Hyakuman (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingLai Chang (China)Missingpresumed in buildingMan Jin (China)Status UnknownMethawarin Bunjong (Thailand)Advised safePhimphorn Lianchuea (Thailand)Status Unknown***Toshiko Imaoka (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingWeiYu Zhang (China)Status UnknownXiling Han (China)Status unknown***Yoko Sakurai (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingYoko Suzuki (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingYuki Hamaski (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingYuko Hirabayashi (Japan)Missingpresumed in building***Ivy Jane Cabunalis (Philippines)Status unknown***Chiho Mochida (Japan)Advised safeGilhwan Yu (Korean)Advised safeJay Ian Payot (Philippines)Advised safe***Li Xia (China)Status Unknown***Mayumi Asakawa (Japan)Advised safe***Yumiko Hata (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingJinyan Leng (China)Status Unknown***Naif Alshammari (Saudi Arabia)Advised safe***Saki Ueno (Japan)Advised safeWith homestay***Jinyu Huang (China)Advised safe***Akiko Taniguchi (Japan)Advised safe***Ayako Yamaguchi (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingBai Yin Miao (China)Advised safeBudsarin Ketpichai (Thailand)Advised safe***Dai Jing (China)Status UnknownDidi Zhang (China)Missingpresumed in building***Erica Nora (Philippines)Status UnknownHaruthaya Luangsuranpeesa (Thailand)Missingpresumed in buildingHifumi Hoshiba (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingHiroko Tamano (Japan)Missingpresumed in building***Hong Ling Liu (China)Advised safeHui Zhang (China)Missingpresumed in buildingJia Hui Lei (China)Advised safeJing Ge (China)Advised safeLi De (China)Status UnknownLi Ming Wang (China)Missingpresumed in building***Lin Lin Xu (China)Missingpresumed in building***Miki Hayasaka (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingNoriko Ostubo (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingRhea Mae Sumalpong (Philippines)Missingpresumed in building***Rika Hyuga (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingTamara Cvetanova (Czechoslovakia)Missingpresumed in building***Thanydha Intrarangkun (Thailand)Missingpresumed in building***Trisha Tirol (Philippines)Advised safe***Wang Tao (China)Missingpresumed in buildingWanju Li (China)Missingpresumed in building***Wanpen Preeklang (Thailand)Missingpresumed in buildingWen He (China)Missingpresumed in building***Xiaoli Zhou (China)Status Unknown***Xu Xui Juan (China)Missingpresumed in building***Yan Tao Zhong (China)Missingpresumed in buildingYang Chen (China)Missingpresumed in buildingYuki Kobayashi (Japan)Advised safeYuwadee Yowarach (Thailand)Advised safeZhehui Bai (China)Advised safe***

New Monday Starters (21/2/11)

Asuka Tsuchihashi (Japan)Missingpresumed in buildingEmmabelle Anoba (Philippines)Status UnknownEzra Mae Medalle (Philippines)Status UnknownHui Yun Tu (China)Status UnknownJessie Lloyd Redoble (Philippines)Missingpresumed in buildingJewel Fransciso (Philippines)Missingpresumed in buildingJohn Kristoffer Chua (Philippines)Missingpresumed in building***Kiyoshi Tsukamoto (Japan)Advised safe***Kyoko Kawahata (Japan)Status UnknownLalaine Agatep (Philippines)Missingpresumed in buildingMohammed Abdullah Ahmed Balawhal (Yemen)Advised safe***Noriko Tsukamoto (Japan)Advised safe***

© 2011 King's Education Ltd

Edited February 26, 2011 by jdinasia

[jdinasia]

I rec'd the news last night, but today they have issued the press releases.

All 6 of the missing Thai nurses in Christ Church perished in the CTV building. All 6 bodies have been recovered.