Christchurch, broken and slowly recovering from last September's huge earthquake, was smashed again today, another major quake shattering the city - and killing at least 65 people.
Ministry of Civil Defence director John Hamilton announced at 6pm, that at least 17 people had died in the quake and he said he expected the tally to rise. Minutes later Prime Minister John Key said he had been advised 65 people were confirmed dead.
``This could be our darkest day,'' he said on TV One.
Today's 6.3 magnitude jolt at 12.51pm shook buildings down, including the famous city-centre cathedral, and caused widespread devastation, death and injury.
Earlier the police had reported ``multiple fatalities'' at several locations in the downtown area including two buses crushed by falling buildings.
Civil Defence Minister John Carter announced this afternoon that hospitals were facing the possibility that hundreds of people could have been injured.
Hospitals in other South Island cities and towns were discharging patients to make room for injured quake survivors and out-of-town ambulances were reported flooding into Christchurch to help harried local medical teams.
Rescue squads were also heading for the stricken city in the face of reports of people trapped in crumpled buildings, some of them high-rise.
The Pyne Gould Guinness building collapsed, with at least 30 people said to be trapped in the rubble.
The earthquake shook the city at 12.51pm while streets were crowed with shoppers and office workers.
It was not as powerful as the 7.3 that struck in early morning hours of 4 September last year but was much shallower, leading to greater damage.
Scientists put the epicentre at 10km southeast of the city - apparently in the middle of the harbour at Lyttelton, the city's coastal port - at a depth of only 5km.
Radio and television reported damage in the town of Lyttelton was severe.
The road tunnel linking Christchurch and Lyttelton was closed and Christchurch International Airport was shut down.
One runway was expected to be cleared late this afternoon and Prime Minister John Key was expected to fly in from Wellington.
Christchurch has suffered a long series of after shocks following last year's quake and they continued after the big one today.
One tremor of 5.7 occurred five minutes after the main shock and there was another of 5.5 at 2.50pm.
Late in the afternoon after shocks were still occurring in the magnitude 4 range on the Richter Scale.
The city's iconic cathedral in the central square survived September without little damage but its spire fell today and the rest of the building was badly damaged.
Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said the damage was much more severe than in the great 7.1 quake almost six months ago.
``The city centre is like a war zone and damage is immense.
``Everybody needs to understand that this is going to be a day of very black news,'' the mayor said.
He declared a state of emergency, adding Christchurch and Canterbury would need help from the rest of the country.
The quake ravaged the city centre as display widows shattered and walls and roofs fell.
Defence Force troops and extra police have been drafted in from other parts of the country to aid in rescue efforts.
One third of the city was reported to be without electricity and Contact Energy closed its LPG gas lines after reported of leaking gas.
The telephone system was severely overloaded as people called to check on the safety of friends and relatives.
The central city is being evacuated as police receive reports of widespread damage.
Christchurch Earthquake: Prime Minister says 65 dead
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