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| Rescue workers searched for survivors through debris in Christchurch after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. |
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A large earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand, on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey, causing buildings to collapse and burying vehicles under debris. There were preliminary reports that the 6.3-magnitude earthquake, which struck in the early afternoon, resulted in fatalities, but none were confirmed.
Damage was extensive and people were trapped inside crumbled buildings, The Associated Press reported. Prime Minister John Key told Parliament that there might be casualties. “Sadly, I cannot rule out whether there have been fatalities or not,” he said.
Video from the scene by 3 News New Zealand showed extensive damage to the city’s main cathedral, as well as people running through the streets to safety. One person called it “the most frightening thing of my entire life.”
The earthquake hit Christchurch, on the country’s south island, just before 1 p.m. It was the latest in a series of large earthquakes to strike the area in recent months. In September, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck near the city, but caused no casualties because it took place in the early morning when virtually everyone was still at home.
Despite its lower magnitude, the depth and location of the earthquake on Tuesday could make it more damaging.
“It was very shallow and might have been very close to the center of the city,” said Vince Cholewa, a Civil Defense spokesman.
The New Zealand Herald reported that phone lines were down, that broken water mains had flooded city streets and that fires had broken out.
“It’s a nightmare,” said Kevin Fenaughty of GNS Science, an earth science research institute in New Zealand. “A lot of people were just getting back on their feet after the original quake.”
NYTIMES
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