New Zealand : #CHCH #EQNZ Quake Update 74

The latest update from The Ministry of Civil Defence, excerpt :

" LATEST

State of national emergency extendedCivil Defence Minister John Carter has today extended the state of national emergency for a further seven days in the aftermath of the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch last Tuesday. The state of national emergency in New Zealand was declared last Wednesday and is expected to continue for several more weeks, Mr Carter says.

"This declaration ensures coordination and cooperation between central and local resources, and international assistance. Due to the scale of this disaster, the civil defence response is beyond the resources of the local authority," he says.

Other developments

• The number of confirmed dead is unchanged at 155. Police still expect that number to rise.
• Three bodies were recovered overnight from the PGC building.
• The identity of eight of the deceased has been publicly released. See: http://www.police.govt.nz/list-deceased
• Police aim to release more names tomorrow morning.
• Approximately 240 people are reported as missing (unaccounted for) in the worst-damaged sites in the city. This number will include many, or all, of the fatalities.
• Of the 200 homes evacuated in Sumner all but 20 have been able to be reoccupied."