Thursday, February 24, 2011

Our hearts go out to the people of Christchurch in New Zealand

The Aftermath of a devastating Earthquake
With hundreds still missing, and 75 already confirmed dead, rescuers struggled to find survivors on the second night after a devastating earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand's second largest city Tuesday. Buildings crumbled into the streets after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake, which geologists consider an aftershock to a 7.1 earthquake that caused no casualties in September. Tuesday’s temblor was more devastating and deadly because it was centered only six miles from the city's center and hit during the middle of a workday. The Government has declared a national state of emergency. Officials estimated there could be 100 people trapped in the CTV building alone

Read more at http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/02/christchurch_earthquake.html

Pictures of the pain and devastation
Click on Image for full size version
The 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck in the early afternoon Tuesday in Christchurch, prompting New Zealanders to flee into the streets as others rushed to the collapsed buildings in attempts to rescue those trapped in the rubble
 
Workers and police converge on the rubble of the CTV building in Christchurch Tuesday to seek victims. The building had housed the King's Education School; the quake struck in the middle of the school day. As many as 23 Japanese students at the language school were believed to be trapped, according to the Associated Press.
 
As workers assist an injured man, rescuers carefully seek other victims in the rubble Tuesday along Manchester Street in Christchurch
 
Part of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Christchurch lies in ruin.
 
Buildings crumbled into the streets after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake, which geologists consider an aftershock to a 7.1 earthquake that caused no casualties in September. Tuesday’s temblor was more devastating and deadly because it was centered only six miles from the city's center and hit during the middle of a workday.
 
Water inundated Bexley, a suburb of Christchurch, after the force of the earthquake pushed thousands of gallons of water and silt into the streets
 
Cars became stuck in the mud Tuesday in the Christchurch suburb of Bexley
 
Rescuers pull a woman from the rubble Tuesday in Christchurch. Around the city, New Zealand's second largest, some victims emerged unscathed from the rubble, while emergency workers had to amputate the limbs of others to free them, the city’s police superintendent, Russell Gibson, told Radio New Zealand
 
The facade of a building has crushed a car in Christchurch Tuesday.
 
Moments after being pulled from the rubble, a man is comforted.
 
Survivors shelter together in Christchurch Tuesday night
 
Kent Manning (left) and his sister Libby react with their father, who asked not to identified, after they were told by police that there was no hope of finding Kent and Libby's mother alive in a collapsed building Wednesday
 
Murray and Kelly James look at their destroyed house in central Christchurch Wednesday
Our sympathies go out to these people

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