7.0 Quake Shakes New Zealand
Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:14 pmFoxNews
A strong magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck close to New Zealand's second-largest city of Christchurch early Saturday local time, wreaking havoc on older buildings and roads, damaging water pipes and power lines and leading to an airport shutdown.
There were just two reports of serious injuries, and authorities were responding to looting in the aftermath of the quake. The USGS did not warn of the threat of tsunamis, a common after-effect of an earthquake.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker declared a state of emergency four hours after the quake rocked the region, warning people that continuing aftershocks could cause masonry to fall from damaged buildings. The emergency meant parts of the city of 342,000 would be closed off and some buildings closed as unsafe, he said.
Minister of Civil Defense John Carter said a state of civil emergency also was declared as the quake was "a significant disaster," and army troops were on standby to assist.
The quake hit at 4.35am Saturday morning local time, just 35 miles northwest of Christchurch, on New Zealand's South Island, at a depth of seven miles. Initial reports placed it at 7.4 magnitude, though the USGS revised it down to 7.0. And a smaller, magnitude 5.7 aftershock struck 5 miles from the initial quake, the USGS reported.
A strong magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck close to New Zealand's second-largest city of Christchurch early Saturday local time, wreaking havoc on older buildings and roads, damaging water pipes and power lines and leading to an airport shutdown.
There were just two reports of serious injuries, and authorities were responding to looting in the aftermath of the quake. The USGS did not warn of the threat of tsunamis, a common after-effect of an earthquake.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker declared a state of emergency four hours after the quake rocked the region, warning people that continuing aftershocks could cause masonry to fall from damaged buildings. The emergency meant parts of the city of 342,000 would be closed off and some buildings closed as unsafe, he said.
Minister of Civil Defense John Carter said a state of civil emergency also was declared as the quake was "a significant disaster," and army troops were on standby to assist.
The quake hit at 4.35am Saturday morning local time, just 35 miles northwest of Christchurch, on New Zealand's South Island, at a depth of seven miles. Initial reports placed it at 7.4 magnitude, though the USGS revised it down to 7.0. And a smaller, magnitude 5.7 aftershock struck 5 miles from the initial quake, the USGS reported.