Quake hits New Zealand

More sophisticated earthquake scam circulates
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has received reports of another Christchurch earthquake-related email scam, with the scammer this time purporting to be from the Red Cross.
By Siobhan Keogh | Thursday, 24 February, 2011

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has received reports of another Christchurch earthquake-related email scam, with the scammer this time purporting to be from the Red Cross.

The email includes a link to a scam website that looks similar to the Red Cross's site. The site is designed to "phish" for credit card details.

Christchurch is spelled incorrectly in the email, and the web address is long and not hosted by the charity.

The ministry recommends people looking to donate should type in the charity's website address themselves rather than click any links from emails.

Online Christchurch earthquake resources
With earthquake-related scams already cropping up online, it's important to have reliable resources. We've compiled a list of online resources you can use to help people in Christchurch, to find people you cannot contact, or to let people know you are OK if you are in the city.
By Siobhan Keogh | Thursday, 24 February, 2011

With earthquake-related scams already cropping up online, it's important to have reliable resources. We've compiled a list of online resources you can use to help people in Christchurch, to find people you cannot contact, or to let people know you are OK if you are in the city.

Donate money

Beware of email scams. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has reported that scammers are targeting New Zealanders. The scammers are purporting to be from a charity named "Donate4Charity NZ" and emails are being sent from "James McCoy".

You can check New Zealand charities against the Charities Commission's register to ensure they are legitimate.

Here is a list of places where you can donate:

BNZ
Account number: 02-0500-0982004-000

ANZ/National banks
Account number: 01-1839-0188939-00

Westpac
Account number: 03-0207-0617331-00

ASB
Account number: 12-3205-0146808-00

Mayoral Fund
Account number: 02-0800-084958-000

Salvation Army
Donate online

Red Cross
Donate online here. If you have trouble with that website, try here.

One-day deal website 1-day is taking donations to go to the Red Cross, as well as GrabOne.

Vodafone New Zealand is also collecting money on behalf of the Red Cross.

In Christchurch? Let people know you're OK

Use the Tell us you're ok Facebook group.

If you know someone is safe, post on their Facebook wall to let others know.

Find people in Christchurch

Google Person Finder allows you to enter someone's name and find out if they are OK, or set up a profile for them so someone else can let you know.

Need somewhere to go?

SharedSpace is currently offering a free service to help those affected by the earthquake find accommodation and office space.

This Facebook page is helping people find accommodation.

People can also list their free accommodation and find accommodation on Trade Me and Quake Escape.

Lost pets?

Trade Me is offering a number of different support services on top of accommodation, including a lost and found pet section and transport.

You can also contact the Canterbury SPCA through its website.

Reliable sources of information

Do not Google search for terms like "Christchurch earthquake". Use only reputable news sources for information. After the 4 September earthquake, cyber criminals capitalised on the quake by setting up fake websites which appeared legitimate but were actually designed to attack users' systems or glean credit card information.

GeoNet tracks earthquakes across New Zealand and is often the first resource to report about aftershocks.

The Civil Defense website is updating regularly with information on the emergency and new aftershocks, as well as information on how you can help whether you are inside Christchurch or out.

Environment Canterbury has set up a blog to collate a range of sources linked to the Canterbury quakes.

Visit the Christchurch City Council's website or follow the council on Twitter.

Our colleagues at Stuff are updating live from Christchurch.

TVNZ has a live stream running on their website. The network also has a list of ways to donate here.

Stuff and The New Zealand Herald both have extensive photo galleries.

Google has launched a response site with a list of resources, including a map of the earthquake's destruction, Google's person finder, and phone numbers for Australians to call if they want to help.

New Zealand quake city prays for miracles amid rubble

8:50pm EST

By Rob Taylor

CHRISTCHURCH (Reuters) - Rescuers pulled apart leveled buildings in New Zealand's quake-hit city of Christchurch on Sunday as the death toll climbed to 146 and people gathered to pray that survivors will be found six days after the devastating tremor.

Rescue teams from New Zealand and seven countries, including the United States, China, Japan, and Australia, have been scouring ruined buildings in the central city and suburban areas hardest hit by Tuesday's 6.3 tremor -- but found only the dead.

"They can see bodies that they are trying to get out," police shift commander Russell Gibson said.

The dead include people from 20 nations, including dozens of students from Japan, China, and Taiwan who were in Christchurch, one of New Zealand's most attractive cities, to learn English in view of the country's dramatic southern Alps.

The city's mayor clung to the hope that more would be found alive, even as aftershocks brought down masonry and sent rescue teams scrambling for safety.

"I will not stop hoping that we will find people alive in the damaged structures of our city until I am told by the police and the urban search and rescue teams that no such optimism can exist any longer," Bob Parker told reporters.

No survivors have been rescued since mid-afternoon on Wednesday. The number of missing remains at more than 200, but police have said it is likely that the number includes recovered bodies that have yet to be identified.

Prime Minister John Key has called for a two-minute national silence on March 1 as a sign of unity for the people of Christchurch, New Zealand's second largest city, and to grieve for people killed in the country's worst natural disaster for 80 years.

"For now we must do all we can to show its people that all of New Zealand grieves with them," said Key.

PRAYING

At the historic 155-year-old stone-built Holy Trinity Anglican Church on the fringes of the devastated city center, Reverend Hugh Bowron said parishioners at the first service since the quake were still stunned.

"The church was badly damaged in the last earthquake, and won't be repairable now, so the sense of hope has taken on a much grittier edge'" Bowron told Reuters.

"But most people were delighted just to be with each other, just to know that others were still alive."

In the central city, the painstaking search concentrated on a finance company office block, the city's landmark cathedral and a local television building, which housed an English language school.

Japanese, Chinese and English teams joined locals to pull apart the buildings, where floors pancaked on top of each other, brick by brick.

"What we're doing is removing the debris, we're looking for voids or spaces where there may be the living," said fire rescue head Jim Stuart Black.

Rescuers crawled through large steel tubes to get into the core of the cathedral, where around 20 bodies are believed trapped.

Engineers were also moving to prop up the teetering 26-storey Hotel Grand Chancellor, which had hampered search operations because of fears it would collapse and bring down adjoining buildings.

In the devastated eastern suburbs nearest the quake epicenter, where hundreds of homes have been marked with red tape for demolition, thousands of volunteers delivered food parcels and water, and shoveled meter-deep grey silt that had squirted through roads and gardens.

But there was frustration that relief and repair efforts in the city of 400,000, New Zealand's second biggest, were not happening fast enough.

"We're just trying to look out for one another. The aftershocks are still sending us flying," said Dave Pascoe in the poorer suburb of Aranui.

Making things worse was a string of burglaries by local youths, Pascoe said.

A handful of people have been arrested for looting as police, boosted by more than 300 officers from Australia, and troops in armored personnel carriers have locked down the city center and enforced a dusk to dawn curfew.

Prince William calls NZ quake damage "unbelievable"

Quote:

Prince William calls NZ quake damage "unbelievable"

That's good that that's settled. Up until now, I hadn't believed the experts. I hope that he can get over to Japan to confirm things there for the world.

Christchurch earthquake: Rockfalls, liquefaction, injuries after quakes

A series of earthquakes have terrified many already-frazzled Christchurch residents this afternoon, starting with a 5.8 magnitude tremor at 1.58pm.

It was followed by a 6.0 magnitude aftershock at 3.18pm, centred 10km east of Christchurch in South New Brighton.

There was also a 5.3 magnitude quake at 2.06pm and a 5.0 at 4.50pm.

Initial reports said one person had received minor injuries, although St John had responded to 19 earthquake-related emergency calls in and around Christchurch.

They ranged from complaints of chest pain and seizures, to a panic attack.

Five people had collapsed, and one suffered a knock to the head.

St John said all injuries were minor.

Police say there is no tsunami threat, and they have no reports of serious or widespread damage or injury.

Civil Defence staff have met on the ground in Christchurch to get a good picture of the extent of impact, but national civil defence controller David Coetzee said it was too early to comment on the way forward.

He said while there were no reports of serious damage, buildings that were already weakened in previous earthquakes may have sustained further damage.

"There will be further aftershocks. This event pretty much takes the pattern of the June event," he said, referring to a strong aftershocks in Christchurch that month.

"Be aware of further aftershocks. Drop, cover and hold remains the old mantra. Look after each other, look after the neighbours, stay safe and call 111 or the council if you need help."

Rockfalls and damage

People were urged to stay away from hill suburbs because of risk of rockfalls, and Coastguard had rescued four people who were trapped by rockfall in Boulder Bay.

Police said there had also been a significant rockfall at Redcliffs, a stopbank on New Brighton Road had collapsed, a partly demolished building on the corner of Barbadoes and Kilmore Streets collapsed, and a vacant house at 81 Aynsley Terrace collapsed.

Some residents at Windsor Hospital rest home in New Brighton were trapped on the second floor of the building, but are being evacuated by the Fire Service.

There has been significant flooding and liquefaction in the eastern suburbs including Avonside and Bexley.

The India Blue restaurant in Sumner is damaged and has been cordoned off and a building on the corner of Charles Street and William Street in Kaiapoi is at risk of collapse.

Road damage and liquefaction

Major holes in the road were reported to have opened up on Broadhaven Avenue, and liquefaction was reported in Avonside.

Drivers were urged to slow down and be patient as congestion built up in some areas.

Police said Christchurch residents should stay off roads if at all possible, and text rather than phone.

Christchurch Hospital, the Princess Margaret Hospital and Hillmorton are all fully operational. Burwood is operating on emergency power.

There are no reports of damage and no injuries to staff or patients who were at the board's facilities at the time of the quake.

The DHB said people can access 24-hour non-emergency care through their general practice, and are asked to help keep the Emergency Department clear for genuine emergencies. The 111 service is operating normally for emergencies.

The Christchurch mayor said his heart breaks for Cantabrians shocked by a series of earthquakes this afternoon.

The first, a magnitude 5.8 tremor, struck at 1.50pm. Its focal point was at a depth of eight kilometres, 20km off the coast of Lyttelton.

Airport evacuated

Christchurch Airport remains evacuated, with literally hundreds of people standing outside with their luggage.

Newstalk ZB reporter Scarlett Cvitanovich says nobody knows when they'll be able to go back inside.

"There's quite a bit of aggression out there. People are asking how they're going to get on flights in time for Christmas and are taking it out on staff at the moment," she says.

Flights bound for Christchurch are also being diverted to other cities.

Key: 'My heart goes out to the people of Christchurch'

Prime Minister John Key said Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, will be heading to Christchurch this afternoon to access the situation.

"My heart goes out to the people of Christchurch and Canterbury at this time," Mr Key said.

"However, residents can be confident that the authorities are onto the situation and government resources stand ready to assist wherever they are needed.

"The Government's resolve to work with the people of Christchurch and Canterbury to rebuild remains unchanged following today's two aftershocks."

Mayor Bob Parker has now booked to fly back to Christchurch from Taupo, where he was holidaying.

He told TVNZ he was getting a lot of reports in from the east of the city of minor damage.

"On the east there's more reports coming in of liquefaction, in Avondale ... and there's small collapses around riverbanks."

He said while initial reports tell of minor damage to the city, today's shake would have taken a large emotional toll on people.

"Many of them just sitting around and in tears. You just can't understand the ongoing stress."

"We were just getting over that feeling, I think, and it sets people back."

Chlorine had finally been removed from the waterways two weeks ago, and today's quake could have set infrastructure progress back, he said.

'Very violent... constant rolling'

Jacqui Taylor said she was working in the Lyttelton library when the first magnitude 5.8 quake hit.

"It was very violent, with constant rolling for a very long time, we left the building and people gathered in the main street. there were more aftershocks while we were in the street.

"I luckily made it through the tunnel and back home in Addington, feeling one more shake while i was in my car at the lights."

Power outages

Electricity distributor Orion said, following the 3.18pm magnitude 6.0 aftershock, power was again tripped to the Eastern Suburbs of Christchurch and to the rural central Canterbury area around Springston.

Around 26,000 customers remain without power in eastern Christchurch. Power is out from the New Brighton area through to Shirley.

Orion said its crews were out assessing damage. It said it appeared power is out due to tripping caused by shaking rather than damage to equipment.

Neanwhile New Zealand Post said there will be no mail deliveries in Christchurch. The Christchurch Mail Centre has been evacuated as a precaution and will not re-open this evening.

The next scheduled mail deliveries following the statutory holidays will be December 28.

Emergency Operations Centre

The Christchurch City Council has established an Emergency Operations Centre in the city. There has been a rockfall behind containers at Scarborough, and liquefaction at Parklands, the council said.

Police are doing aerial reconnaissance to check for damage across the city.

All Council buildings will be closed until they can be assessed as safe to occupy. People should assume all Council buildings are closed until they can be assessed and declared safe.

Cantabrians are being warned that more aftershocks could be on the way before Christmas.

GNS: More aftershocks to come

GNS seismologist Ken Gledhill told TVNZ "this is part of a series of earthquakes that have been set off by what happened in September 2010.

"In the coming days the most likely scenario is that there will be a series of aftershocks in a similar location.

"This is just a reminder that this area is more active than what it was before September 2010."

He said GNS were doing the best they could with information and the situation in Christchurch.

- APNZ