Let Your Prayers Ring Out!

For the People of Christchurch, New Zealand. As of writing this at least 65 people are dead, hundreds maybe thousands wounded.  Destruction on a massive scale.

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – A powerful earthquake slammed New Zealand's already-bruised city of Christchurch on Tuesday, killing at least 65 people, and sending rescuers scrambling to help people trapped under collapsed buildings.

The 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit the country's second-largest city around lunchtime, collapsing buildings and sending bricks and other heavy debris toppling into busy city streets. It was the second major quake to strike Christchurch in the past five months.

Prime Minister John Key told reporters that the death toll was at least 65, and was expected to rise further.

Video footage showed some multi-storey buildings collapsed in on themselves, and others with walls that had collapsed into the streets, strewn with bricks and shattered concrete. Sidewalks and roads were cracked and split, and thousands of dazed, screaming and crying residents wandered through the streets as sirens blared. Groups of people helped victims clutching bleedings wounds, and others were carried to private vehicles in makeshift stretchers fashioned from rugs or bits of debris.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker declared a state of emergency and ordered people to evacuate the city center. Troops were deployed to help people get out and to throw up a security cordon around the stricken area, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English said.

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The first quake of 6.3 hit 6 hours ago, followed by 5.6 20 minutes later, a 5.5 aftershock hit 4 hours later.

Major Earthquake has hit Christchurch, New Zealand



The damage is massive, as is the loss of life.  But unlike Haiti, the people of New Zealand are luckier. New Zealand is a rich nation, with good hospitals and a support service ranked at one of the best in the world. To be injured or homeless there is less of a hardship than those in Haiti went through and still have to endure.

Remember to say a prayer or two for these people.  And hope that the death count stays low.