New Zealand quake death toll near 100, hundreds still missing

New Zealand quake death toll near 100, hundreds still missing

2011-02-24 19:59:19 GMT+7 (ICT)

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND (BNO NEWS) -- The death toll following a strong earthquake that struck the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Tuesday has risen to at least 98, police said on Thursday, adding that hundreds who remain missing may not have survived.

The 6.3-magnitude earthquake at 12.51 p.m. local time on Tuesday (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.

As of Thursday, Canterbury District Commander Superintendent Dave Cliff said the bodies of 98 people have so far been found, including two babies. He identified the first four confirmed victims as 40-year-old Joseph Tehau Pohio, 22-year-old Jaime Robert McDowell Gilbert, 9-month-old Jayden Harris and 5-month-old Baxter Gowland.

Superintendent Cliff said 226 people are still listed as missing. And while some may have difficulty contacting their families, officials fear most of them may have been killed.

"Because of our inquiries and the likelihood that these missing people are believed to be in the most severely affected areas of Christchurch we hold serious concerns that they have not survived," Cliff said. "This number may well grow higher, as there may be overseas nationals who have not been reported missing."

However, Cliff noted that the majority of the 98 confirmed fatalities is expected to be included within the 226 missing. "My plea is that if anyone has reported someone missing, and that person is now safe and well, or if a person knows they have been reported missing, please contact the Red Cross as soon as possible," he added.

In related news, U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday called New Zealand Prime Minister John Key to express his "deep condolences" over the earthquake, the White House said. He noted that a U.S. search and rescue team was on its way to New Zealand, and said the United States was ready to provide whatever further support was needed.

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