Open Search form

×

Live Update arrow right icon

From the Liveblog of Sunday, November 13, 2016

At least two dead in New Zealand earthquake

13 November 2016, 8:41 pm

Edit

At least two people were killed and more fatalities were feared after a powerful 7.8 earthquake struck New Zealand just after midnight Monday, Prime Minister John Key says.

Nearly seven hours after the first quake struck, the prime minister confirmed two fatalities, saying “we cannot rule out” that number will rise.

City engineers inspect buildings in the central business district in Wellington on early November 14, 2016, following an earthquake centered some 90 kilometers (57 miles) north of New Zealand's South Island city of Christchurch. (AFP PHOTO / Marty Melville) — City engineers inspect buildings in the central business district in Wellington on early November 14, 2016, following an earthquake centered some 90 kilometers (57 miles) north of New Zealand’s South Island city of Christchurch. (AFP PHOTO / Marty Melville)

“At this point we are unable to give precise details of what caused those fatalities,” Key said, adding that communication problems made it difficult to get information from the affected areas of the South Island.

If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.

JOIN THE TOI COMMUNITY