Strong Quake Strikes Near Christchurch,Christchurch New Zealand:Powerful Earthquake in New Zealand on Saturday has caused “enormous damage”, although there are no reports of serious injuries or serious damage, emergency official said.
“It was like a train passes through the house,” says Chris Monroe, Operations Manager for the New Zealand Fire Service.
The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.0, compared with the initial assessment of 7.4, U.S. Geological Survey said. He hit about 35 miles from Christchurch, a city of about 386,000 people.
Aftershock with a magnitude of 5.7 struck near the epicenter about 20 minutes later, the study said.
Powers sought to much of Christchurch, because there is significant damage, “Radio New Zealand reported.
One person said that the quake “turned the house upside down, from utensils violations”, the station with reference to the “Orion”, the energy company. Sewer and water pipes are breaking, a company representative told the station.
“Structural damage to homes and broken glass were reported around Christchurch,” said station.
The man who was at the international airport in Christchurch has described the scene.
“The whole terminal is shaking,” he said. “I knew that earthquake.There was not so much you can do at this point.”
Authorities evacuated the airport, he said, adding that he saw little damage.
“We just a terrible earthquake,” said Paul May, a resident of Christchurch. “We have no power. Many things in the house on the floor. All power is not working, so I do not see anything. There is no power in the city.
She said that in her house, “we have everything down in a room” and that although it appears there are houses down in the region, such as the old masonry structures are, everyone I know seems to be OK. ”
Tim Dower, a journalist of New Zealand, he says, happy earthquake in the dark, but not during the day, when people were out walking.
“When one of this magnitude comes along, people certainly believe, especially if it is small,” he said.
There have been reports, he said, facades and buildings crumbling, damaged cars and flooding in homes.
“We have no reports of major injuries at this stage.”
A man who answered the phone at the hotel in Christchurch, George said that “we clean at the moment”, but do not disclose any more details.
Reinier Eulink, general manager of Holiday Inn in Christchurch, said that there is no damage around the hotel corridors and large cracks in the walls.
“It was a big blow big long, and the building itself has moved a lot,” he said. 13-storey building, approximately 150 rooms, about 40 percent occupied, and he estimated that 80 or more people living in a hotel at the time.
Power was knocked out, and came to the emergency. People crowded into the lobby, trying to keep warm in the cold winter Southern Hemisphere.
“My room is completely turned on its head”, Eulink said.
The shift of Christchurch Hospital manager said there are injuries and damage from the earthquake.
“We are in a state of emergency planning at the moment,” he said.
Earthquake was 7.5 kilometers in depth. It struck at 4:35 am Saturday (12:35 pm ET Friday), said the survey.
The earthquake is not likely to lead to a tsunami, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.