Scientists have ruled out the possibility of Tsunami in the region after a powerful earthquake hit New Zealand. Authorities in Christchurch have declared a state of emergency in connection with the quake. The quake measured more than seven on the Richter scale. Reports of casualties and destruction are coming from the second largest city of the country.
The first tremors were recorded around four in the morning. Residents of the city of Christchurch were seen running out of their beds onto the streets without even getting time to wear clothes. Many had to go to the hospital with cuts, injuries and fractures, but there are others also who did not receive any injury but still can not recover from fear.
The infrastructure of one of the largest cities in the country is almost completely destroyed. The roads are broken and dozens of homes have been razed to the ground. Police is chasing away the looters from the ruins, the authorities have arranged for the delivery of drinking water.
At the moment the main task before authorities is to make sure that none of the residents remained trapped under the rubble. Rescuers with dogs are combing every street, or what was left of them.
Many people have lost not only homes but also cars. And those who managed to keep vehicles, headed for the hills, fearing a tsunami. Announcements are being continuously made on Radio requesting people not to panic. After examining the coordinates of epicenter, seismologists say that the probability of a tsunami is close to zero.
GNS Science duty seismologist John Ristau said “A rule of thumb for a large earthquake at a shallow depth such as this is that the largest aftershock will be about one unit of magnitude lower than the main shock.”
