New Zealand earthquake: Christchurch deaths rise to 75
Baku, February 23 (AZERTAC). New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has declared a national state of emergency as the death toll from Tuesday`s earthquake in Christchurch rose to 75.
Police have said there is "incredible carnage right throughout the city", with "bodies littering the streets".
More than 300 people are still missing. Forty-eight were pulled out from collapsed buildings alive overnight.
The search has now been abandoned at one office block, but elsewhere a woman was rescued after more than 24 hours.
About 100 people are believed to be inside. Earlier, the head of the fire service denied reports that 15 people trapped inside had been rescued.
The building housed a language school and Insp Lawry said some foreign students would be among the dead there.
It was Christchurch`s second major tremor in five months, and New Zealand`s deadliest natural disaster in 80 years.
Prime Minister John Key, who grew up in Christchurch, declared a national state of emergency after a cabinet meeting in the capital, Wellington. He said it would allow the greatest possible co-ordination of local, national, and international resources to work on rescue and recovery efforts.
He told residents of Christchurch that New Zealanders felt "your pain as only a small nation can".
Mr. Key ordered that the country`s flag be flown at half-mast on all public buildings until further notice to honour the victims.
More than 500 search and rescue personnel, police, fire service staff, soldiers and volunteers have been scrambling to find survivors trapped under the rubble, many using only their bare hands.
The Red Cross has been trying to find accommodation for people sheltering outside in tents or under plastic sheeting.
All the schools in Christchurch are closed until further notice, as expert teams are assessing any potential damage to the buildings.
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