Police say a large number of people have been pulled alive from collapsed Christchurch buildings as rescuers worked throughout the night under floodlights in a bid to rescue trapped earthquake victims.
The PGG building on Cambridge Terrace and the CTV building on the corner of Madras and Cashel Streets were the worst hit following yesterday's 6.3 magnitude quake, and ``significant'' numbers of people were inside.
Thirty two people are confirmed as dead but last night Prime Minister John Key said up to sixty-five people have been confirmed killed but there are fears the death toll will mount today as more bodies are found.
Police Superintendent Russell Gibson said this morning that since 1pm yesterday 22 people, including two with serious injuries, had been rescued from the PGG building and a further 22 people were believed still trapped, said
There had been communication with at least three of these people inside the building and it was understood they were not hurt.
Eight people had also been rescued from the CTV building.
``It is thought a large number are still unaccounted for and work is ongoing to match up reports of missing people with specific locations and buildings.''
There was a number of deceased people in both buildings, he said.
``The focus of Police and Urban Search and Rescue at this stage is the rescue of those still trapped, rather than the recovery of the dead.
``It is difficult to speculate on the total death toll as it is such a rapidly evolving situation.
``We know it will be significant and we know there are a lot of people going through the nightmare ordeal of waiting for news of their loved ones.
``All of the agencies involved in this operation are working as hard as possible to bring some clarity to the situation and some answers families and friends.''
Rescuers have worked desperately through the night trying to find victims trapped in the Christchurch rubble following the quake which struck at 12.51pm 20km southeast of Christchurchh at a depth of 5km.
There have been dozens of aftershocks.
St John Ambulance said that two people were killed when hit by falling rocks while walking the Lyttelton's Crater Rim Track. They were believed to be the only victims from the area which was severely damaged.
The death toll is already the second highest from a New Zealand earthquake -- outranked only by the 256 people killed in the violent 7.9 1931 Hawke's Bay quake, whose 70th anniversary was marked earlier this month.
Christchurch Hospital's emergency department was extremely busy treating cuts, crush injuries, fractures, spinal injuries and serious wounds.
Police have not been able to supply numbers on how many they believe are trapped, or how many have so far been pulled from the wreckage of buildings. Some survivors have sent text messages that they were trapped in the rubble.
A state of emergency has been declared, which is expected to last five days.
The quake smashed into the city when the city was packed with lunch-hour shoppers and office workers.
It followed the massive 7.1 shake on September 4 last year but its effect were much more severe this time because of the shallowness of the quake.
Buildings that stood up to last year's event tumbled this time, weakened by the earlier shaking.
Civil Defence said that by midday 220 Search and Rescue personnel will be deployed and as many as 700 Search and Rescue personnel may be deployed within 48 hours.
Further teams from overseas are also on their way to join the effort as international offers assistance come in.
About 950 people spent the night at two welfare centres, at Hagley Park and Burnside High School, where blankets, food, sanitation were supplied.
Civil Defence will attempt to open more centres throughout the day.
Water, sewer and gas lines were ruptured by the quake and power lines and poles crashed, cutting electricity to one third of the city.
Eighty percent of the city has not water supply and people were urged to conserve water; not to shower, take baths of flush toilets.
Schools are closed today and people are urged to stay at home, and undertake essential travel only.
Prime Minister John Key flew to Christchurch yesterday and after a quick tour of the city described it as ``utterly wrecked'', adding ``this is an absolute tragedy for Christchurch''.
``We may well be witnessing New Zealand's darkest day,'' he said.
Christchurch Earthquake: Survivors pulled from rubble but death toll could rise
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