Thursday, February 24, 2011

Update: Christchurch Earth Quake

Christchurch New Zealand is still digging out and holding out for finding some surviors in some of the collapased buildings. It also apparears that some foriegners may be some of the victims in the earthquake.
From the stuff.com: Meanwhile families overseas with relatives caught up in Tuesday's deadly Christchurch earthquake have been urged to prepare for the "worst type of news".
Foreign Minister Murray McCully said he had spoken to his international counterparts over the last two days and told them that some families in their countries should expect "very bad news".
"I've said to them that while we do not have the information that those families would want, we are at a point where some very negative conclusions need to be drawn," he said.
"There will be families receiving the worst type of news in the next few days."
The Christchurch quake death toll rose to 113 this morning. Police have urged tourists to phone home so they can determine if anyone should be struck-off the missing list.
Family and friends clutch passport photos outside the Papanui police station as they search for information about loved ones, still missing...

Of the 113 people confirmed dead so far, 20 are believed to be foreigners, while a number of the more than 200 missing are also believed to be from overseas.
Ninety international students and staff from private training school King's Education are believed to be inside the flattened CTV building....

Signs of the international help are spread throughout the city, from Singaporean army officers manning cordons to American medical tents at welfare centres.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said words could not describe how grateful he was for the overseas help.
"It means absolutely everything," he said.
"To have people from many nations coming here to help this city is deeply moving and deeply supportive for all of us, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

The Government is not ruling out a nationwide tax to help fund the rebuilding of Christchurch, but won't be making any decisions soon, Prime Minister John Key said.
He said the lack of economic activity in the quake-hit city would be a drag on the national economy but the country could cope.
"We've got the financial capacity to deal with the earthquake," he told Radio New Zealand.
Treasury Secretary John Whitehead was travelling to Christchurch today.
Key said he would consider a nationwide tax if it was the best way to pay for the rebuild but said it was too early to think about it yet.
For now the focus remained on the rescue operation, he said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/4697308/Vows-exchanged-after-rescue

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