New Zealand is rocked by a deadly earthquake

More than 100 people are believed to be trapped in rubble after a deadly 6.3-magnitude earthquake rocked the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch on Tuesday.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker declared a state of emergency and ordered people to evacuate the city centre following the quake, which has killed at least 65 people. Parker said rescue teams including sniffer dogs were fanning out.

"The government is willing to throw everything it can in the rescue effort," Deputy Prime Minister Bill English said. "Time is going to be of essence.

"I rang my kids to say goodbye," said Ann Voss, interviewed by TV3 from underneath her desk, where she was trapped in a collapsed office building. "It was absolutely horrible. My daughter was crying and I was crying because I honestly thought that was it. You know, you want to tell them you love them, don't you?"

She said she could hear other people still alive in the building, and had called out to them and communicated by knocking on rubble.

"I'm not going to give up," she said. "I'm going to stay awake now. They better come and get me."

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it had no reports of any Canadians affected by the earthquake.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key told reporters in Christchurch that the death toll was expected to rise.

"It is a just a scene of utter devastation," Key told TV One News. "This may be New Zealand's darkest day."

Earlier, a police statement said "multiple fatalities have been reported at several locations in the central city, including two buses crushed by falling buildings.

"Other reports include multiple building collapses, fires in buildings in the central [city] and persons reported trapped in buildings," the statement said.

Nathanael Boehm, a web designer, told The Associated Press that he was standing near a tram track when the quake struck just before 1 p.m., sending the eaves of buildings cascading onto the street.

"It was horrific. People were covered in rubble, covered in several tonnes of concrete," Boehm said, adding that he believed some of them had been crushed to death.

Christchurch's daily newspaper, the Press, reported on its website that witnesses said screams could be heard coming from the Pyne Gould Business building, where as many as 30 people were feared trapped.

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Comment by Ben Kim on February 25, 2011 at 5:26am: It is so sad that I can't say a word. I pray for people who are suffering the tragedy and give my condolence on people in Christchurch.

Comment by Anela Nusta Shanti on February 22, 2011 at 5:30pm: ♥ Sending lots of LOVE and HEALING to ALL affected by this Quake. So glad you are safe Vlada ♥

Comment by elizabeth grob on February 22, 2011 at 1:50pm: Mother Earth is reacting to all the pain and damage us humans have caused to her for our own gread to have more and more and even more, when there is NO MORE.

Love and Light to Mother Earth and all the people who suffer now from the earth reacting. Losing their safe home and family, friends etc. I will pray for you all that God and the Angels will help you to heal from everything you've lost and they may watch over you. I send you Love and Light, compassion, healing and inner peace, strenghth and power to come over this terrible disaster.

Love each-other.

Comment by Lorraine Ridge on February 22, 2011 at 11:52am: Vlada, so relieved to know that you are alive. I am discovering that by means of the internet people are beginnning to realize that we are all connected. These disasters are affecting all of us because we now know people from so many different countries. I am likely to be putting this badly, but never have we realized that we are all part of ONE, we ARE all connected. Gaia is indeed waking up; these disasters will continue. I add my prayers to all the other prayers for the people of Christchurch to endure the coming months of aftershocks, healing and rebuilding.
Vlada, I will pray that you find Caiden and your family safe. Please be safe.

Comment by Doriana Tamburini on February 22, 2011 at 10:06am: May all Guardian Angels be PRESENT!!!

Comment by SiNeh~ on February 22, 2011 at 9:14am: Prayer-Request from Brock Pagan and the BLEND OF LOVING ENERGIES for NZ

((((((((((((((((((((UNITY/LOVE)))))))))))))))))))))

Further healing and prayers needed...for NZ as cyclone ATU heads towards NZ, bad weather condition warnings have ben sent out; a seismologist has raised the concern of a potential quake towards Wellington which is on a tectonic border/active quake/volcano zone...so instead of dwelling on negative fear this creates... let us instead meditate or send prayers for wellbeing of all peoples, beings life and also healing/(((LOVE))) for THE ENTIRE planet that are much needed. Namaste and grateful thanks

Brock and the Admins of the BOLE

Comment by Marcelle Kohen on February 22, 2011 at 8:39am: We were told such things were going to happen. It seems so cruel. Lets just all of us pray and contemplate how precious life is, and that we should all tell eachother allways how much you love eachother.

God seems to be wanting us all to open our hearts....