2 dead as huge quake rocks New Zealand

AFP, CHRISTCHURCH: A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed two people and caused massive infrastructure damage in New Zealand on Monday, but officials said they were optimistic the death toll would not rise.
The tremor, one of the most powerful ever recorded in the quake-prone South Pacific nation, hit just after midnight near the South Island coastal town of Kaikoura.
It triggered a tsunami alert that sent thousands of people fleeing for higher ground across large parts of the country’s rugged coastline before the threat abated.
Rescuers were left scrambling to reach Kaikoura, which had no telecommunications and was isolated by landslips, leaving officials fearing the worst.
But Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said 12 hours after the quake that a clearer picture of the damage was emerging. “I think had there been serious injury or suspected further loss of life than we would have heard about it by now,” he told Radio New Zealand.He added: “It looks as though it’s the infrastructure that’s the biggest problem, although I don’t want to take away from the suffering... and terrible fright so many people have had.”

 

2 dead as huge quake rocks New Zealand

AFP, CHRISTCHURCH: A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed two people and caused massive infrastructure damage in New Zealand on Monday, but officials said they were optimistic the death toll would not rise. The tremor, one of the most powerful ever recorded in the quake-prone South Pacific nation, hit just after midnight near the South Island coastal town of Kaikoura. It triggered a tsunami alert that sent thousands of people fleeing for higher ground across large parts of the countrys rugged coastline before the threat abated. Rescuers were left scrambling to reach Kaikoura, which had no telecommunications and was isolated by landslips, leaving officials fearing the worst. But Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said 12 hours after the quake that a clearer picture of the damage was emerging. I think had there been serious injury or suspected further loss of life than we would have heard about it by now, he told Radio New Zealand.He added: It looks as though its the infrastructure thats the biggest problem, although I dont want to take away from the suffering... and terrible fright so many people have had.