Quake in New Zealand kills at least 65

this could be far worse than the original

Hmmmmm... is this the end of days? seems like a quake or volcano or flood or whatever natural disaster is an everyday occurrence now

details were still too shaky for those reports to be confirmed

Is that a bad joke?

It apparently was bigger than the fisrt one or has done more damage and this time there is multiple fatalities and people trapped in buildings.

Not good listening to the radio live as this is going down.

I hope everyone i know in christchurch is safe and well.

Tried calling a few down there but phone network is down or overloaded.

Another one. This TOTALLY sucks.

Depth and distance sound bad. Epicenter much closer and shallower than the September earthquake.

Top of the cathedral is down, 200-odd people trapped in the Pyne Guinness Gould building - looks like it's bigger than the one in Sept.

"Colombo St is completely munted" according to one resident.

Australian ABC news24 station on the ABC website has lifted the geoblock, and can be watched worldwide. They are carrying the live feed from New Zealand television.

Appears the Christchurch youth hostel was badly damaged, sounds like there will be foreign tourists among the victims. Many people still trapped, gas mains broken, liquefaction, and have run out of ambulances. Very bad situation. Have lived all but three years of my life in high-risk earthquake zones, but have never experienced anything serious. Thoughts will be with everybody down there today.

Australian ABC news24 station on the ABC website

Thanks for that

encouraging in times like this that people are getting involved in helping clear the rubble and ferry people in their own vehicles to the hospitals,,,instead of waiting for the professionals to do it,,,much life saved this way

From reports, it felt much bigger than the September quake. Not as big on Richter but shallower and closer. Also, worst timing.

A sad day for New Zealanders. Christchurch is just about a right-off.

Really sad images being shown from the area. Best wishes to all Kiwis and especially those with family or friends in the area. Hopefully everyone can pull together to help with this tragedy.

In addition to the ABC coverage there is good coverage on Sky News which you can get to from the Herald Sun website

Not only your Aussie brothers and sisters, but everyone else. Hang in there, folks. I hope the worst is over and you all recover from this devastating event.

22 JAPANESE STUDENTS TRAPPED Just read it on a nz news site, this just became huge news in Japan.

It was lower magnitude than the Sept quake but at only 5 km depth, that is what caused the carnage. Shocking news.

So many disasters in such a short time. It seems that nature determines to kill us all this year.no need for war or chaos by human.

Ok finally got through on the phone, seems it was a huge shake not much didnt get affected, being descrbibed on the phone as like something like movie special effects. Lots of scared shattered people.

Body count so far 65 with more than 200 still trapped in rubble.

Ditto Osakadaz and smithinjapan - love to the Kiwis, we are all thinking of you.

When I was in Christchurch years ago we experienced an earthquake. It was scary as hell and nothing like on a magnitutde like this. I have been watching ordinary office workers risking their lives to pull people out of the rubble on the TV - you are all heros today.

Sorry for NewZealand, I wish the best for the country.

TVNZ reporting that 22 Japanese students trapped in a language centre. Bad times for everyone in Canterbury Crusader-land. Really hope the news doesn't get worse.

i was in auckland when this happened, i was actually watching television when the 'breaking news' sign appeared. this is so heartbreaking, there were so many graphic images of people with blood streaming from their heads and limping... christchurch was just getting back on its feet and then its devastated again like this.

i am thinking of everybody in christchurch and contribute to the relief effort as best i can.

9 Japanese students (from Toyama apparently) and a teacher have been accounted for, 12 still missing. Several of the rescued students have been taken to hospital.

Hope the Japanese survive this disaster.

RR

New Zealand is also earthquake country as same as Japan. I hope rescuers take good care of people there.

they all chorused back: "im fine thank you,and you?"

I shouldn't laugh, but I did - thanks for some light relief on what's been a pretty unremittingly grim day here in NZ.

Gary Moore said he and 19 other colleagues were trapped in their twelfth floor office

Not the best fortnight for men called Gary Moore....

I hope and pray everyone including the students who can still be saved ,will be so. take care

Just received an e-mail from my aunty in north Christchurch.

Land lines are down by she could text.

City has been whumped. My cuzzie's daughter was trapped in the CBD office she works in but got out with a bruised knee and luckily all the rellies are OK.

Cousin's other daughter was at University and had to climb out of the building - thought she was going to die.

Not so much luck for others.

A real bad day for NZ.... :-(

I am terribly worried about Richie McCaw, Sonny Bill Williams, Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock, Israel Dagg and a few other key All Blacks.

When they rebuild the collapsed buildings, they're going to make them strong enough to withstand the next quake.

I read that Christchurch is literally built on sand, and with a high water table. So liquefaction is a serious issue with earthquakes. Scary!

WilliB Christchurch is built on former swamp land, not a clever idea, the kiwi people that had brains all built in auckland. ;))

Christchurch is built mostly on a alluvial river bed, the Swamp is the bit nearest the estuary. Alluvial shingle. As for Auckland its built on a dormant volcanic field that appears to erupt in cycles.... another time bomb. Anyway positive vibes going out to the Garden City, tough days ahead.