WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A powerful quake hit the city of Christchurch today, collapsing buildings, burying vehicles under debris and sending rescuers scrambling to help those trapped.
Police were trying to confirm early reports of multiple fatalities from the 6.3-magnitude earthquake, the second major temblor to strike the city since September, while Prime Minister John Key told Parliament that details still were too shaky.
Witnesses said the quake destroyed the iconic stone Christchurch Cathedral, its spire toppled into a central city square, and there were reports of two buses crushed under falling buildings. Video footage showed parts of buildings collapsed into streets strewn with bricks and shattered concrete. Sidewalks and roads were cracked and split, and thousands of dazed residents wandered through the streets as sirens blared.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker declared a state of emergency and ordered people to evacuate the city center. Some were stuck in office towers, and firefighters climbed ladders to pluck people trapped on roofs to safety. The Associated Press
