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Stringer/New Zealand / Reuters
Dust rises from rocks falling from a cliff in the Christchurch suburb of Sumner moments after the earthquake struck.
Updated 12:28 a.m. ET
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand -- A series of strong earthquakes struck the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Friday, rattling buildings, sending goods tumbling from shelves and prompting terrified holiday shoppers to flee into the streets. There was no tsunami alert issued and the city appeared to have been spared major damage.
Initial reports said one person was injured at a city mall and was taken to a hospital, and four people had to be rescued after being trapped by a rock fall. But there were no immediate reports of serious injuries or widespread damage in the city, which is still recovering from a devastating February earthquake that killed 182 people and destroyed much of the downtown area.
The first 5.8-magnitude quake struck Friday afternoon, 16 miles (26 kilometers) north of Christchurch and 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) deep, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Minutes later, a 5.3-magnitude aftershock hit. About an hour after that, the city was shaken by another 5.8-magnitude temblor, the U.S.G.S. said, though New Zealand's geological agency GNS Science recorded that aftershock as a magnitude-6.0. Both aftershocks were less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) deep.
Get the latest quake updates at breakingnews.com
Power was reported out in some neighborhoods, and the Herald said that liquefaction of the ground had occurred in some of the city's eastern suburbs. Sewer lines broke, goods fell from shelves in stores, and large cracks opened in some buildings, the Herald reported.
More coverage of the quake from the New Zealand Herald
About 60 people were treated for minor injuries, including fractures, injuries sustained in falls and people with "emotional difficulties," Christchurch St. John Ambulance operations manager Tony Dowell told The Associated Press.
"We have had no significant injuries reported as a result of the earthquakes today," he said.
Christchurch International Airport was evacuated. A Qantas flight from Sydney was diverted to Wellington, the Herald said. Airport authorities said they hoped to reopen the airport after checking buildings and other facilities for damage. In a tweet at 9:18 p.m. EST, airport officials said that "we hope this wil happen in a few hours."
Newstalk ZB reported that debris had fallen from the Catholic cathedral on Barbados Street.
Radio New Zealand News reported that Warwick Isaacs of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority said buildings in the city's center were evacuated as a precaution.
"It ... started slow then really got going. It was a big swaying one but not as jolting or as violent as in February," Christchurch resident Rita Langley said.
"It was incredibly violent," one caller told Radio New Zealand.
"All the water in my birdbath slopped out and I could hear everything falling over inside. When I walked inside, the cat streaked out the door, ornaments were all over the floor, contents of the pantry were lying on the floor, a little bit of smashed glass and picture frames lying over."
The shaking was severe in the nearby port town of Lyttelton, the epicenter of the Feb. 22 quake.
"We stayed inside until the shaking stopped. Then most people went out into the street outside," resident Andrew Turner said. "People are emotionally shocked by what happened this afternoon."
The area has recorded more than 7,000 earthquakes since a magnitude-7 quake rocked the city on Sept. 4, 2010. That quake did not cause any deaths. But the earthquake that hit Christchurch on Feb. 22 killed 181 and caused damage intially estimated at up to $12 billion. It was the second deadliest quake ever recorded in New Zealand; one in 1931 in Hawke's Bay killed 256 people.
The USGS told NBC News that the quakes on Friday could be classified as aftershocks of the February killer.
Christchurch is on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island.
This article includes reporting from msnbc.com staff, NBC News, Reuters and The Associated Press.
Leave a Comment:
Oh no! NOT AGAIN!!!
No kidding. I was in Christchurch for the last one and that really knocked the city down. No power or water, city center cordoned off, everyone was shocked. Natural disasters just don't happen down there, until these earthquakes started popping up.
The city really rallied though. People looking out for their neighbors, students volunteering to help clean up the liquefaction, search & rescue teams coming in from all over the world. Christchurch is getting good at this.
I'd just left Christchurch three days before the February quake hit. The people of New Zealand could really use a break from the quakes to give them time to recover and rebuild.
And New Zealander's don't use fracturing..Stay steady my friends I need your Steinlager.
Just the prelude to December 21, 2012!
This really is too bad. The Kiwis have had enough problems lately.
So sad. Our hearts and prayers go out to our friends in NZ.
Sorry to hear this... an earthquake is my biggest fear which is why I don't want to live anywhere near a fault line. Prayers going out to the Kiwis from a friend in the U.S.
I really feel bad for these people. 2X in one year. The ring of fire has been going crazy lately.
Folk's I hope for the best for you and your country.
earthquakes in one place after another.
Yep, george, "in divers places"!!!!!!
What is next?........
" and great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. " Luke 21:11
It may be that we live in an age of instant news but it sure seems to me that we are seeing this prediction fulfilled.
No need wondering what is next Pamela, the rest is in that great book you eluded to.
!
THese things have been happening since the Earth formed, they have not increased in frequency.
Earthquakes happen and are a part of the natural world. They have nothing to do with Bronze Age religious belief that had no understanding of actual science or reality. As Krestov mentioned, these things have not increased in frequency. I'll expand on that by saying that compared to what the earth was like several million years ago, they've decreased substantially. Please open a more relevant book in order to come up with a factual comment about earthquakes. Besides, preaching is rude.
The Kiwis are tough. All the best to them.
Discussions about these natural events are like discussions between medical doctors and witch doctors. "standswithfist in unbelief" is the witch doctor. Anyone who chooses to believe the predictions written 2000 years ago with no basis given for those predictions over the present day scientists is doomed to a life of ignorance about the natural world.
Hope that everyone is ok.
My Prayers for New Zealand. So sorry to hear this happen again.
Thank You All, "View From The North"? Kiwis are Resilient, Just ask Dame Edna
K
Christchurch/Canterbury is such a beautiful place -- the botanical gardens, the Alps, and most of all the people (albeit they drive on the wrong side of the road). Take care folks, take extra care.
Dame Edna is Australian not from New Zealand... Way to kick a guy while he's down 'View From The North'
More evidence of the upcoming return of Nibiru! Prepare!!
Kia kaha Chch
good people down there. don't think there is anything they can't handle. lots of luck chaps.
Please do have to hear about any shaking of the earth harms anyone in the world? Get real, the earth is dynamic and in motion earthquakes are going happen. We don't need to waste our precious media and exposure to hard part of the population for them to get the message that "Oh my God, how tragic. Another earthquake and people were hurt!" How about putting the space to good use and talk about the homeless and starving in the world. As an example of one world issue, and there are a hundred more, that are causing a great deal more pain and suffering, and death then a 5.8 earthquake.
Wow, you are a really nice person! Yes, it is news, and if you lived there you wouldn't be saying your nasty comments. Earthquakes sometimes cause people to be homeless and starving, and you know what? The announcement on the news is how others know the people who are hit need help.
How about putting yourself to good use and getting away from your nasty comments long enough to go help people instead of tearing them down. Sure they happen, but so does general homelessness and starvation...guess no one is allowed to inform people about that either? Oh, and was someone forcing you to read the article? You read the headline, so why not just find something else to read if you aren't interested.
Better watch what you sneer about. Karma bites.
@Justgetalong; trying thinking out side your own thoughts on how you think things shold be, this is world news and many people who are New Zealanders and those with relatives therewill be reading this and trying to learn what is happening.
Your compasion should involve all people not just those you see fit to talk about in your narrow view of the world.
Did you note ram-762581, that justgetalong mentioned a one world issue ? This would explain his/her lack of concern for those in NZ that are suffering through yet another severe earthquake. He/she has a greater agenda and cannot be bothered with such trivia as an earthquake. If "Karma bites", he/she will soon be faced with a similar trauma.
Today New Zealand was relatively fortunate, after the tragedy of their earlier earthquake. As a coastal Californian, I know that a 5.8 can do fatal damage, depending on how the shock waves fan out. I hope that it's a long time before any of the people of the Pacific coasts have to endure anymore seismic activity.
Yes, earthquakes happen. But it is news, since "news" is a report of recent events. I am just impressed when our "precious media" manages to actually report something other than which movie star is bopping who or which one went to rehab this week yada, yada, yada. Reporting earthquakes or other natural disasters serves a purpose in letting people know why they might not be able to get in touch with loved ones, where to travel, what to expect...so on. Reporting that people are starving or homeless...well hell. What's new there? P.S. Try making your sentences actually make sense if you want to create an impression.
There are a countless number of other things you could be reading that might be more significant to you, JustGetAlong. No one twisted your arm and made you read this article.
The damage is determined by the type of earthquake, the soil it affected and the depth it occurred at.
Quakes in the eastern US are much different than those in southern California and those are different from those in northern California all the way to the tip of Alaska.
We were there about a year and a half ago on vacation.....very nice people and a wonderful place - our hearts go out to everyone there!
My dream is to live in NZ. From what I've seen on tv it is pure paradise albiet from Mount Athos of course!
I would like to know why they have had thousands of eathquakes in the past two years!? Someone posted above that the ring of fire or fault lines have been haywire lately.. any more information on this that I could read anybody?
Cheers to the kiwis for keeping their heads afloat these disasters!
Evening Surviving...NZ has not just has thousands of earth quakes in 2 years..they have them all the time, day in and day out..up to 10,000 a year..it is nothing new as many are not felt as they are to small...NZ is very volcanic and is earth quake prone...Us Aussies do not call them across the ditch "the Shakey Isles" for nothing...Yes NZ is very beautiful have 2 friends who live there but I would not live there in a pink fit. I preferto see our disasters coming eg cyclones one off our Northern coast at the moment that is threatening big problems for us...Bushfires and floods...at least you can see these ....earthquakes..no warning, nothing...so if you want to live in the Land of the long white cloud, you need be prepared, very prepared....The "ring of fire" or "rim of fire" is all around the Pacific and it includes the States, Japan, Chile, NZ and misses us in Australia..Quite often that is why if NZ shakes Japan does a few days later or somewhere else in the Pacific.
I agree with your assessment of New Zealand's natural beauty, although I've never been there.
As far as their Earth Quake activity, I'm not convinced they have any more than other nations bordering the Pacific Ocean, and I wouldn't trust any post on the internet as source of truth, including mine.
Good luck with your dream.
There are around 15,000 earthquakes per year in NZ, however to put htis is perspective the killer quake from this year was the first fatality from a quake since the 1930s. The majority are too small to be felt.
I love New Zealand such a beautiful place......from Dallas, Texas you have me and my friends thoughts and prayers. We hope all the best for the people of New Zealand.
This is very sad news. The world has alot of sad things happening. We need to try and keep our chins up as much as we can. People helping one another brings comfort in the midst of the storm. That is the best we can be in such rough times. I wonder what is setting this ring of fire off?
Pray that the city continues to be calm and at peace and there is no further injury.
Glad this quake wasn't as bad as the other. Hopefully they will recover from it quickly. My prayers to all affected.
3 miles isn't very deep. That is only 15840 ft below the surface.
God obviously has a bone to pick with Chirstchurch.
Seriously--there has been a lot of seismic activity all around the Pacific Plate recently--one day it WILL let loose in the Seattle/Vancouver area, likely ravaging the area with major tsunamis unfortunately. Of course California is due for some serious action too. We live on an active planet of thin crust floating on molten interior.
I hope no one was hurt. I wonder if all the activity lately is something new, or are we just getting better reporting? After seeing those Tsunamis in Japan, I dont take earthquakes for granted any more. That was some scary mother nature. Makes me glad I dont live close to the ocean.