Death Toll From Quake In New Zealand May Top 200
People walk through debris in the aftermath of a strong earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, Tuesday. The region is still recovering from a 7.1 quake in September. Logan McMillan/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
People walk through debris in the aftermath of a strong earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, Tuesday. The region is still recovering from a 7.1 quake in September.
Logan McMillan/AFP/Getty ImagesAt least 65 people are reported to have died in the powerful earthquake that rocked Christchurch, New Zealand, earlier today.
But The New Zealand Herald warns that the death toll could climb to between 200 and 300. It says that "construction workers and search and rescue specialists are toiling under floodlights on a cold and wet night to dig out survivors and the dead from buildings flattened by the earthquake that ripped the city apart today."
New Zealand's TVNZ has videos posted here. The Associated Press also has some footage. Warning: There are some graphic scenes in this "raw" video:
Today's 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit as Christchurch was still recovering from a 7.1 magnitude temblor that shook the region last September.
Update at 2:10 p.m. ET. Here's some more video, courtesy of the AP:
Update at 10:20 a.m. ET: The Herald writes that "residents of the town at the epicentre of today's devastating aftershock have told of terrifying ordeals as the ground crumbled around them."
TVNZ.com says that "there is no water supply to 80 percent of properties in Christchurch."