New Zealand quake leaves 400 dead, missing

New Zealand rescuers worked frantically through the night to reach trapped survivors after a catastrophic earthquake left nearly 400 people dead or missing in Christchurch.

Prime Minister John Key, declaring a national emergency after New Zealand's worst natural disaster in 80 years, said the region around the country's second-largest city had suffered "death and destruction on a dreadful scale".

Rescuers had to amputate limbs from survivors to free them from smouldering ruins of buildings reduced to debris in minutes, while dazed survivors were plucked from the rubble in a desperate overnight rescue mission.

Christchurch resident Tom Brittenden said he saw a woman die with her baby in her arms when she was hit by falling debris in the city's Cashel St Mall. Her baby survived but she was killed instantly.

"We tried to pull these big bricks off (her)... she was gone," he told the Christchurch Press.

Rescuers had recovered 75 bodies since the 6.3-magnitude quake struck at lunchtime Tuesday, and about 300 people were still missing, officials said.

The quake was the deadliest to hit New Zealand since 256 people died in a 1931 tremor, and it came six months after a 7.0-magnitude quake weakened buildings in Christchurch but miraculously resulted in no deaths.

The latest tremor toppled many buildings and left central Christchurch strewn with debris. The city's landmark cathedral lost its spire. Dozens of aftershocks rocked the city Tuesday and overnight, hampering rescue efforts.

Police Superintendent Russell Gibson warned that the toll was certain to rise as more than 500 emergency workers combed through shattered buildings, listening out for any signs of life.

"There is incredible carnage right throughout the city," he told Radio New Zealand. "There are bodies littering the streets, they are trapped in cars and crushed under rubble."

Most of the city remained without power and Gibson said rescue crews working through the night had freed 20-30 people, some at desperate cost.

Eleven people were pulled from them overnight.

According to another police official, David Cliff, the priority had to be for the living.

"There are still people trapped in the rubble who are texting loved ones and keeping us informed," Cliff said adding the pancaked CTV building was of particular concern, with many people still trapped in there.
"We want to systematically go through the city and look in the rubble," he said. "It has been really heart-wrenching - we know there are bodies, we know there are deceased but our priority has to be with the living."

He said the Australian police on their way to New Zealand would be used to man cordons and maintain normal policing while his own members tended to their own problems.

"We've got a lot of our own people with significant problems at home, more of our own staff with houses destroyed," Cliff said.

Acting head of the emergency department at Christchurch Hospital, Mike Ardagh, said about 200 people had been through their unit overnight

Meanwhile, the city's water system was put out of action by yesterday's earthquake.

The mayor said the city had established a network of at least six schools where residents could go for water.

Parker said the city had requisitioned food and additional blankets under its emergency powers so supplies could be sent to the emergency temporary accommodation centres.

He said about 1000 people spent the night at the two welfare centres that were set up.

Prime Minister John Key today gave a rousing speech hailing the bravery of Christchurch residents and telling them that they would not go through the post-earthquake ordeal alone.

"Christchurch, today is the day when your great comeback begins," he said. "The world is with you ... they are putting their shoulder to your wheel.

"Christchurch, this not your test, this is New Zealand's test. I promise we will meet that test." He also announced a national state of emergency.

Christchurch Airport announced it was resuming domestic flights and called on all passengers to check with their airlines before heading to the terminal.

The quake happened only six months after buildings were weakened by a 7.1 quake that miraculously claimed no victims.