Christchurch hit by two major aftershocks

Christchurch has been jolted by two major aftershocks, one at 1pm measuring 5.5 magnitude, and a magnitude 6 aftershock at 2.20pm. Emergency services have not yet reported any fatalities. 12 people have been hospitalised with injuries.

UPDATED 5.20pm: New Zealanders feel Christchurch's pain after the latest devastating quakes to strike the city, Prime Minister John Key says.

He pledged the city would be rebuilt.

About 10 people were injured and some buildings damaged in the 5.5 and 6.0 magnitude quakes this afternoon. The quakes come after the February 22 quake which killed 181 people and one last September which caused severe damage.

"It's another blow to the Christchurch residents who have already endured so much," Mr Key said.

"However today's events in no way weaken the Government's long term commitment to rebuild Christchurch and surrounding areas."

Mr Key said he had spoken to Mayor Bob Parker, who is considering whether to call a local emergency. Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee would be flying from Wellington to Christchurch as soon as was possible.

Mr Key said at this stage the situation was "not considered serious enough" for a national state of emergency to be imposed.

The quakes were a "setback" and saw further damage to the central business district, to the eastern suburbs, with power again knocked out and water and waste systems damaged.

"But it does not lessen our resolve to rebuild. People of Christchurch should know that all New Zealanders are thinking of them and will continue to support and standby them at this very difficult time."

Mr Key said residents were concerned and upset and that would be the biggest effect from today.

"For the people of Christchurch I am sure they just want this to end," he said.

"I am sure they are over all of this and they want a sense of normality to return and I think we can all feel their frustration. But they've got to know that we stand beside them, that we are totally committed to rebuilding the city and I am sure these aftershocks will eventually settle down and normality will return, it's a very frustrating time for the people of Christchurch."

The continuing aftershocks were draining.

"My heart really goes out to them because they've had now an awful lot of aftershocks and this has been going on for nine months or so."

School would again be disrupted and households have to pick up the pieces and dig liquefaction from their homes and yards.

"That saps away the confidence of the people of Christchurch."

However he said they were stoic people who would regroup.

Mr Key said the quakes were likely to be treated as new events for insurance purposes and he had been assured that the Earthquake Commission (EQC) had already obtained sufficient reinsurance. The Government had also provisioned enough in the budget, he said.

Announcements about which areas were not able to be rebuilt should still be made soon, but areas that had been cleared for rebuilding may need to be reassessed.

Mr Key said on the Mercalli scale, which measures the intensity of earthquakes, the 6 magnitude quake recorded eight out of 12 while the February 22nd quake was a 9 out of 12.

"It's a very violent shock."

4.55pm: Christchurch City Council said Geotech reports had indicated the scale of the damage including large rockfalls that have brought powerlines down onto houses.

A cliff at Whitewash Head, damage by the February quake, collapsed.

Wakefield Ave is closed for one block, as is Herberden Avenue.

Clifton Tce is closed to vehicles after damage to the retaining wall, and Kinsey Tce is closed for an engineering inspection.

47,000 are without power. Water pressure is low across the city.

4.24pm: The National Business Review’s Chris Hutching put the lack of widespread death and destruction down to precautions taken after the large earthquake four months earlier.

“If he hadn’t had the other one, February 22, everything would be damaged. There were a couple of places that were half down that are now completely down,” he said after observing the city this afternoon.

“There are a couple of buildings where the overhangs have come down, but there’s now traffic mayhem. Everybody’s going crazy trying to get home. Helicopters are overhead and sirens are going off everywhere. Everybody’s desperately trying to contact each other.”

He said the Avon River had taken on a brown hue: “I had a look by Avonside Drive, the water is just completely muddy - there liquefaction coming up the gutters and coming up the middle of the river too.”

Mr Hutching said his home in St Albans was a mess. “That didn’t happen even in the big one. All the furniture’s all over the place, all the dresses are sprawled out. Everything’s everywhere. The TVs down for the third time.”

The Christchurch City Council reported low water pressure and numerous reported of broken water pipes, and called for water use to be sparing.

3.20pm: Police have reported concern over possible gas leaks has led to evacuation of the central city red zone and closure of the central police station.

Rockfalls are reported at Boulder Bay, Shag Rock and other hillside suburbs.

Bridges closed includes the Old Waimakariri, Moorhouse Ave, Merivale Mall, Glouster/Gayhurst and Anzac Ave.

The Police statements ends: "Police are urging residents to check on friends and neighbours, and to stay at home and avoid travelling if possible."

3.10pm: Christchurch City Council is urging residents of Heberden Avenue in Sumner to evacuate.

In a statement the Council said: "For those at home, if you are concerned that your house may be damaged please move to a safer location. Please limit your travel to ease congestion and make it easier for emergency services to move about the city."

Canterbury University has also closed and evauated all buildings of students and staff.

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Agency is reporting bridges on or over Moorhouse Ave are closed.

2.44pm: Geonet has measured the 2:21pm aftershock at 6.0, the largest since the February 22 earthquake.

The depth of the tremour was 9km, with the epicentre 10km southeast of Christchurch just outside of Lyttelton.

It followed a 5.5 magnitude quake at 1pm.

Meanwhile Vodafone has confirmed that its texts are not being sent to and from Telecom and 2Degrees customers, meaning customers on those networks in Christchurch may not be able to make contact.  Messages are queuing and not lost, the company said, and is under investigation "at the highest priority". 

Orion power has confirmed that power has been lost to 54,000 customers following the magnitude 6 aftershock.

Telecom said the shocks had caused significant congestion on both mobile and fixed networks, with mains power loss also affecting some parts of the network.

2:33pm: Chris Hutching, NBRs man in Christchurch said the aftershock at approximately 2:20pm was bigger than the February 22 shake.

“This is the most incredible, the biggest of all - bigger than even the big one [February 22]. We couldn’t stand up. I was talking to a friend, she had to cling on to me. We were trying to hang onto something to stand up, we couldn't. It was the scariest experience of my life," he said.

“The earth was thumping under our feet.”

2.20pm: Police are reportedly saying no people were left inside the now-collapsed building on Stanmore and Worcester Street.

The fire service is reporting the rescue of two people from the St John Church on Hereford and Madras.

Ambulance services are reporting six people with moderate to serious injuries have been taken to Christchurch hospital.

1.45pm: People are feared trapped in a collapsed building after another big quake hit Christchurch.

The quake, which struck at 1pm, was centred 10km east of Christchurch at Taylor's Mistake beach, at a depth of 11km.

Police said a building on the corner of Stanmore and Worcester Street had collapsed and people were feared trapped inside.

The fire service has been called to 38 incidents including broken water mains, a house fire and liquefaction.

1.15pm: Another big jolt has hit Christchurch, this time measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale according to Geonet. The quake struck just after 1pm.

NBR Christchurch corrrespondent Chris Hutching's first reaction: "Christ, the earth just moved again."

He said the quake was "pretty damn significant" and along the lines of three or four big jolts that have rocked Christchurch since the February 22 quake.

"My first thought was that it was an absolute cracker, it was quite frightening and it went on for a fair while.

"It was more a rocking motion than straight up and down - the lights were swinging really wildly. 

"The TV fell over on the floor again - I don't know why we bother putting it back up - and books came out from the shelves."

He said it was ironic today was the first day in the job for Roger Sutton, the boss of CERA (Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority).

Vodafone said none of its sites were down but one was on battery power and there was congestion. It asked for users to make only essential calls to Christchurch.

TelstraClear said 10 roadside cabinets lost power and various services were down due to loss of power, also requesting people keep lines free except for emergencies.

2degrees said no cellsites on its network were affected.

Telecom said three of its cell towers lost service in the immediate wake of the quake due to loss of power, but all are now working.

Liquefaction has been reported in some eastern parts of the city.