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| A damaged church in Christchuch. |
LATEST: Mayor Bob Parker has told shaken Canterbury residents that support has been offered from the ''highest levels of Government''.
Parker was speaking at a Civil Defence press conference outside a temporary headquarters at the Christchurch Art Gallery today.
Christchurch - and the wider South Island - was rocked by the massive 7.1 magnitude quake at 4.35am. Buildings were flattened, residents injured and infrastructure damaged.
The quake - initially reported at 7.4 magnitude but later downgraded - was centred 30km west of the city and 33km underground. It has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks.
A state of emergency has been declared and will be in place until Monday or Tuesday. The CBD is in lockdown until at least tomorrow.
''There has not been a house or a family in our city who have not suffered damage in some way,'' Parker said.
''But this is city working together to do what we can before nightfall.
''We have had immediate response and offers of support from the highest levels of government. However, we will only ask for it if we need it.''
The fine weather had been a blessing, he said. However, Met Service has issued a severe weather warning for tomorrow, with gale force winds expected for much of the South Island.
RECORD EVENT
Today's 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Canterbury is the most damaging since the 1931 magnitude 7.8 Hawke's Bay earthquake, scientists say.
The quake - felt widely across the South Island and as far north as Wellington and Palmerston North - matches the magnitude of that which rocked Inangahua in 1968.
IMPACT
Power was out to most of Christchurch and rural Canterbury, and the central city has been closed down by police because of the amount of rubble in the streets.
By late morning, power had returned to most of New Brighton and Dallington, as well as Christchurch Airport and Christchurch Hospital, lines company Orion said. Ninety per cent of the city was expected to have their electricity restored by nightfall.
Water pipes have ruptured and there are reports of flooding in some eastern Christchurch areas.
Canterbury Police said the inner-city would be closed until tomorrow while assessments of damaged buildings was carried out.
No businesses or licensed premises would open and no one, other than inner-city residents or people with bona-fide reasons to enter the area, would be allowed in. Police will man cordons throughout the night.
The CBD-area affected by the cordon is bordered by Montreal, Kilmore, Madras and St Asaph streets.
Emergency services have rescued about 10 people from holes in the ground including a person who was trapped in a pit in River Road after the ground collapsed.
Ad Feedback So far, two people have been reported seriously injured in the quake.
One man in his fifties was hit by a falling chimney and is now in a serious condition in the intensive care unit in Christchurch Hospital.
Another man in his fifties has serious injuries after being cut by glass in the earthquake.
The Director of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, John Hamilton, said the National Crisis Management Centre has been activated to co-ordinate central government response if required.
Search and rescue teams have been deployed to the central city to check for trapped people in the rubble of the quake.
Christchurch fire service spokesman Mike Bowden there were a number of people trapped in their houses and other buildings by falling chimneys, jammed doors and blocked entrances. However, there were no reports of people pinned underneath rubble so far.
WEATHER WARNING
A severe wind warning issued for Canterbury could prove dangerous for structures already weakened by the earthquake, the Met Service says.
Gale force winds are expected to hit the eastern South Island tomorrow, and could potentially bring down trees and powerlines and make driving hazardous.
The gusts could reach up to 130km/h hour in exposed places.
They should die down by 6am Monday.
FARMERS
A daiy factory and several farms in rural Canterbury have also been hit hard by the quake.
Federated Farmers is reporting a backlog at the Synlait factory, where a power outage has seen lines jammed. Several tankers have had to be re-directed.
A milk vat and milking platform near Burnham have been damaged, and several grain silos near Darfield are also damaged.
Electricity is now the major problem facing north Canterbury's farmers.
"It could be up to two-days before power is fully restored so electricity is the main concern," said Federated Farmers spokesman Neil Stott.
"Thankfully, a number of farmers have invested in backup generators but these are a short-term fix. "
"The welfare of livestock will now be of prime concern to farmers and we appreciate the offers now coming in from fellow farmers."
POLITICAL REACTION
Prime Minister John Key says he is rushing to Canterbury to "show solidarity" with locals rocked by a major earthquake.
Speaking before he departed to Christchurch this afternoon, Key said it would be "a good result under the circumstances" if Canterbury escaped without any loss of life.
"Our understanding is that there has been no loss of life, which we're obviously very blessed by," he said.
"We want to get to Christchurch quickly to show solidarity and support for the people of Canterbury but also to make sure that we're fully briefed on the issues and the rebuild programme that will be required."
It would take quite some time before a final assessment of the damage and the cost of the clean up would be known.
"But it's important that the people of Canterbury know that we're there to support them and that central government will work alongside local government to do our best to restore the Canterbury region."
Key was first contacted about the quake by his sister, who lives in a hill suburb of Christchurch. She had told him the shaking went on for 15 minutes and was so violent they couldn't stand up.
There had been an even bigger earthquake in Fiordland last year but this one was in a very built up area.
"It's quite terrifying for people," Key said.
"The ultimate damage to water and wastewater is one of our primary concerns although it may be a few days before we know exactly the extent of that damage."
Engineers were checking the damage to buildings and it appeared some more modern buildings had been affected.
"If we could escape with damage to property and no loss of life then that would be a good result under the circumstances."
Key will stop in Wellington to collect Cabinet colleagues John Carter and Gerry Brownlee before an expected arrival in Christchurch of about 2pm this afternoon.
Key said he would play it by ear as to what he would do after today.
RESIDENTS' CONCERN
Colleen Simpson, from Christchurch, said everyone was out in the street in their pyjamas after the quake hit, looking scared and worried. There was no power, buildings were down and the mobile network was failing.
"Oh my God. There is a row of shops completely demolished right in front of me," she said, from her car.
Simpson and her young family were heading to her sister's house, where there was still power, so everyone could be together.
INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE
About five per cent of buildings in central Christchurch have been damaged and streets are littered with the rubble of building facades.
Many minor bridges have been damaged but all major bridges and road transport routes are okay. The surface of Avonside Drive, in eastern Christchurch, has a huge crack across it.
The rail network has been shutdown as inspections are made.
Christchurch Airport was closed and would remain closed until at least 3pm as damage was checked for damage.
The Fire Service has divided the city into grids and is sending staff into each area to assess the damage.
Residents have been asked not to drive into the central city.
All Canterbury emergency coordination centres - including Selwyn, Timaru, Waimakariri and Hurunui districts - have been activated.
Civil Defence is asking residents in those areas not to use their cellphones unless for emergencies. And people have been warned that cellphone coverage could fall out later today.
A spokesperson for lines company Orion said sewer lines and water pipes have ruptured, and whole substations are offline. Power is off to 75 percent of Christchurch and all of rural Canterbury.
Power was expected to be restored to 90 percent of the city by nightfall, however there would be pockets where power would not be able to be restored due to damage.
Damage reports for rural areas were yet to be done, the spokesperson said.
Residents have been urged to conserve water.
There have been reports of looting in central Christchurch following the quake.
Inspector Mike Coleman said police had cordoned off central Christchurch as it was dangerous but also because looters had already been active.
''There's considerable damage there, and we've already had reports of looting,'' he told Radio New Zealand.
''Shop windows are broken and obviously it's easy pickings for displays and things.''
Additional police staff had been sent out to patrol the city streets.
Police said damage and power outages have been reported from as far away as Dunedin.
The rail network in the South Island has been shut down while it is inspected for damage.
HEALTH CARE
Christchurch Hospital's emergency department has also seen a number of people with minor injuries - mainly cuts and bruises, but also some broken bones.
Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman Michele Hider said they were still assessing damage to hospitals and still experiencing after shocks
People who need medical assistance for minor injuries they should go the 24 Hour after hours surgery in Bealey Ave.
She asked people not to go to Christchurch Hospital's Emergency Department unless it is an emergency.
Christchurch hospital is running on generator power.
Canterbury Health Board chief executive David Meates said the flow of people through Christchurch Hospital's emergency department had been like ''a typical Saturday night''.
The common injuries were cuts and fractures but one man is in intensive care after being crushed by a crumbling chimney.
Burwood Hospital is without water.
''Public health is going to be a real issue over the next few days so it is important that communities look after each other and not create an unnecessary burden on services,'' Meates said.
St John Ambulance said services were fully functioning but urged medical alarm users not to activate them unless they were injured or unwell.
Christchurch radiographers have abandoned a planned strike for today.
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