Christchurch Day 3

From TV New Zealand’s Live Updates: Day Three

1.38pm: A list of people who are missing and likely to have been caught up in the incident will be released at 4pm today. Cliff said at this stage there are 238 people on the missing persons list. “But many of those people may have simply left town, so again if you’ve left town please ring the Red Cross number,” he said.

1.30pm To recap
– Superintendent Dave Cliff says it remains a rescue operation
– a list of people who are missing and likely to have been caught up in the incident will be released at around 4pm.
– the looting factor is “absolutely minimal”
– Defence Minister Wayne Mapp says Lyttelton is heavily devastated
– Gerry Brownlee is appointed Minister of Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
– Names of some victims to be released at some time today
– Bob Hamilton from Civil Defence has been appointed national controller for the response operation.
– David Meates from the District Health Board says 164 quake victims have been admitted to hospital with a range of conditions
– no charge for doctor and pharmacy visits to ensure people are accessing services
– concern about the elderly
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1.23pm: There could be up to 120 bodies in the CTV building. Cliff says the numbers have varied wildly.
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1.13pm: Superintendent Dave Cliff says it remains a rescue operation. There could be people alive but there is no chance for survival at the CTV site.

The CTV building apparently “pancaked” which doesn’t leave space for survivors, and there are no signs of life in the structure. It wasn’t just a media center, there were multiple users including at least one post-secondary school.

Rescue teams from four different countries are currently on the scene, and more are arriving every hour. The power grid is coming back on line, but total restoration will take months. The phone company is collecting analog telephones to hand out, as the system will accept the older phones that don’t require their own power source.

The biggest reason for the structural failure of so many buildings was soil liquefaction, the earth turned into quick sand under the stress of the earthquake.