Such sad news from New Zealand =(

[kazz]

Hope fades for more than 100 in Christchurch's Cantebury TV (CTV) building. The confirmed death toll from the 6.3 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday stands at 75, with 300 missing in the worst natural disaster in New Zealand's history.

Inspector Dave Lawry said he was "100 per cent sure" there were no survivors in the building. Rescue work as been stopped at the site due to safety concerns, New Zealand Herald reported.

There are many overseas students, including a large number of Japanese nationals, who were believed to have been inside the destroyed building, which police say was "unsurvivable".


Hope fades for more than 100 in Christchurch's Cantebury TV (CTV) building | Herald Sun

[marinepilot]

Kazz, I saw the headlines but wasn't familiar with any of the story until your post. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Prayers sent for everyone in that area, and all who may have someone in that area.

[Gumtree]

Signs of life in Christchurch rubble Updated 8:00am 24/2/11

Rescuers scrambled to respond to reports of a voice calling from the rubble of earthquake-hit Christchurch this morning, just hours after New Zealand prime minister John Key said the focus was turning to body recovery.
Chief Superintendent Gary Pinken, who heads the New South Wales taskforce working in Christchurch, said there were signs of life in the rubble of a CBD building.

"Our teams have been retasked to a building in the centre of Christchurch where a voice has been heard, and it seems as though we may have another good news story before the day is out," he said.
The voice has reportedly been heard in the rubble of the Holy Cross Chapel off Cathedral Square.
But rescuers have warned that any recovery operation will be a delicate and slow process.
The official death toll from Tuesday's 6.3-magnitude earthquake remains at 75 but no-one has been rescued from the rubble since yesterday afternoon.

Earlier Mr Key said rescue teams were now concentrating more on body recovery than rescuing survivors.
"I think the large reason why (emergency services) are describing this as more likely to be a recovery than a rescue is they're not getting positive signs that people are there," he said, referring to the prospect of survivors in the rubble.
"That does not mean that there can't and won't be people trapped in buildings," he told TV3.

"All over the world when we see disasters like this, we see miracle stories of people being pulled out, days and in some cases weeks after the event. We can't give up hope, but we also need to be realistic."
This morning search and rescue teams continued to fan out across the city in the desperate hunt for survivors.

Deputy prime minister Bill English has told ABC News Breakfast that authorities expect the number of people confirmed dead will increase.
"As the hours tick by, the possibility of people being found alive is dropping off," he said.
"The searchers on the ground are telling us there is still some chance there are survivors in there.
"There's been a figure of around 300 missing ... we would hope that over the next couple of days, as people report in, that number will drop."
Overnight, rescue teams worked under floodlights as they searched for survivors.

Signs of life in Christchurch rubble - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[QldCop]

Hey Kazz, are nay of your guys going over??
I hear that NSW sent 100 coppers over.

[kazz]

Hey Kazz, are nay of your guys going over??
I hear that NSW sent 100 coppers over.

We're sending 116 today.

[besafe2]

kazz, my thoughts & prayers are with all of you....stay safe.