R.I.P to those who lost their lives. From the looks of the pictures this catastrophe is going to take a very long time to sort out, take a look after the jump.
Ironic that something so devilish happened to a city called Christchurch.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A 6.3-magnitude earthquake rocked the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch Tuesday, killing dozens, collapsing buildings and cracking streets.
Prime Minister John Key said at least 65 had died as a result of the disaster and told reporters that the death toll was expected to rise further. “It is a just a scene of utter devastation,” he added.
Television footage showed streets strewn with bricks and shattered concrete. Sidewalks and roads were cracked and split, and hundreds of dazed, screaming and crying residents wandered as sirens blared throughout the city.
Bodies were being pulled from rubble, others lay in the streets. Water mains burst, causing extensive flooding.
New Zealand’s 3 News television station said that by 10:30 p.m. Tuesday local time (4:30 a.m. ET) that there were reports of at least 125 people being rescued.
However, it added that Mayor Bob Parker estimated that more than 100 people were still trapped at six different locations with possibly more in individual homes. Parker said earlier that he had been “thrown quite a distance” by the quake.
The TV station said the 33rd aftershock hit at 10:18 p.m. local time (4:18 a.m. ET).
It was the second quake to hit the city in five months, and New Zealand’s deadliest natural disaster for 80 years. In 1931, a quake in the North Island city of Napier killed 256 people.
“We may well be witnessing New Zealand’s darkest day…The death toll I have at the moment is 65 and that may rise,” Key told local TV. “It’s hard to describe. What was a vibrant city a few hours ago has been brought to its knees.”
