Hunt for over 100 trapped in quake rubble

At least 65 people are confirmed to have died in the 6.3-magnitude quake which struck only six miles from the city centre on a busy weekday afternoon, causing widespread destruction.

Many more citizens remained unaccounted for last night, with dozens thought to be trapped beneath collapsed buildings. The death toll looked certain to rise as the hours passed and violent after-shocks added to the danger both for those trapped and those working with vital rescue teams.

Police said around 30 people had been pulled from the rubble overnight, with some forced to endure limb amputations in order to be set free. At least 100 more were believed trapped under several key buildings last night, with some sending text messages from beneath the rubble, pleading for assistance. It was not known how many more were trapped inside individual houses.

“I rang my kids to say goodbye,” said Ann Voss, interviewed by reporters from underneath her desk where she was trapped in a collapsed office building. “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?”

Ms Voss 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.”

As the scale of the disaster was revealed, world leaders sent messages of support and teams of rescue workers on what New Zealand leader John Key said may have been his country’s “darkest day”.

The Queen led the tributes to the people of the city, which suffered a larger – but far less devastating – earthquake back in September.

“I have been utterly shocked by the news of another earthquake in Christchurch,” the Queen said. “Please convey my deep sympathy to the families and friends of those who have been killed – my thoughts are with all those affected by this dreadful event.”

David Cameron sent Britain’s “deepest sympathies and condolences” and was “urgently” seeking information about any British casualties.

The Prime Minister said: “There are many people in Britain with ties of friendship or family to New Zealand. They will be following events particularly closely and with understandable anxiety.

“I believe I speak on behalf of everyone in our country when I say that we all stand with New Zealand at this moment, at this dark and difficult time.”

A number of British expatriates, backpackers and holiday-makers were caught up in the disaster.

Barnaby Luck, 29, from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, was in a hostel when the quake hit. “Everything started shaking and it became more and more violent,” he said. “It was like someone had got hold of the building and was shaking it and swinging it back and forwards.

Footage from the aftermath showed scenes of shocking destruction. Around 80 per cent of the city was without water last night, with power also off in many parts.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker was ashen-faced as he declared a state of emergency and called for help from across the world. “The city centre is like a war zone, and damage is immense,” he said. “This is going to be a day of very black news.”

Christchurch is New Zealand’s second-largest city, with a population of around 380,000. It suffered a 7.1-magnitude earthquake in September which saw tens of thousands of homes damaged. The depth of that tremor, however, meant the devastation was nowhere near as severe as in the aftermath of Tuesday’s quake.