UK teams on way as rescue efforts continue

New Zealand’s emergency service and construction personnel worked through the night amid reports at least 100 people remained trapped in ruined buildings throughout the city.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, a close personal friend of New Zealand leader John Key, said a rescue team was on its way to help from the UK.

“I have been in touch with my good friend, Prime Minister John Key, and he knows Britain stands ready to provide whatever assistance is required in support of the local emergency services,” Mr Cameron said.

“We have agreed to send a search and rescue team, which has deployed immediately.”

Emergency teams were last night focusing their efforts on 10 “critical” buildings where people were thought to be trapped.

Superintendent Russell Gibson of the city police force said rescuers have helped some people escape with barely a scratch, while limbs had to be amputated from others in order to free them.

He said hundreds of rescue workers are moving from building to building, systematically checking for survivors and listening out for tapping noises or human calls.

He added that rescuers are currently having to ignore dead bodies they know are trapped in rubble in order to focus on buildings from which noises have been heard.

Britain is one of a number of countries to have sent emergency rescue assistance including Australia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the USA.

The United Kingdom International Search and Rescue Team is on call 24 hours a day to respond to humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world, working on a rota system between various fire and rescue services around the country.

The Scottish-based Grampian Fire and Rescue Service were the team deployed to Christchurch yesterday.

A specialist seven-man rescue team from West Midlands Fire Service was also due to head to New Zealand early this morning.

Chief fire officer Vij Randeniya said: “Our international search and rescue team is of world-class standard, they are travelling to the other side of the world to help out the people of New Zealand.

“We know they will do a fantastic job and we are very proud of them.”