Christchurch: International rescue teams intensified their
search for earthquake survivors in New Zealand on Thursday, with the
death toll nearing 100 and police said they were gravely concerned about
the more than 200 people still missing.
Teams from quake-prone
countries such as Japan and the United States sent in sniffer dogs and
lowered microphones into piles of rubble to probe for signs of life, two
days after a 6.3 magnitude quake struck the tourist city of
Christchurch.
But their efforts were hindered by the prospect of
new collapses of damaged buildings. Fears focused on a teetering
26-storey hotel tower.
Local
police commander Dave Cliff said the death toll now stood at 98 and
expressed grave concern for 226 still missing. Two infants of five and
nine months were among the dead.
"At present we can confirm that
we have received a total of 98 bodies. The identification of the
remainder will remain a long and complex process," Cliff, police
commander of Canterbury province, told reporters.
Cliff had earlier said that the main aim of search teams remained to rescue those trapped, but officials advised caution.
Teams
rushed to a small church after it was believed that a woman's voice had
been heard -- apparently the first sign in more than 15 hours that
people might still be alive. It turned out to be another false hope.
No Signs Of Life
"Right
now we do not have any active contact with any person or any indication
of signs of life at any location we are working at," fire rescue
coordinator Jim Stuart Black said.
Prime Minister John Key said the death toll was certain to rise.
"The
indications we're getting from the police ... is that the loss of life
could be more substantial than any one of us had ever dreamed of," he
told Sky News television.
"They've been in touch with a couple
of hundred families who have clearly indicated that they have a loved
one missing and police have every reason to believe those people may be
fatalities."
Hopes faded by the hour, but there was renewed
activity at what was feared to be the deadliest single collapse -- a
six-storey building where up to 120 people, including many missing
Japanese students, are feared buried.
A newly-arrived Japanese
rescue team headed straight for the smouldering ruin of the Canterbury
Television (CTV) building. Around 30 of them, in orange and blue
overalls, clambered over rubble which also housed a third-floor
English-language school.
Other rescuers carried out bodies. Officials brought additional body bags.
"We
have a big team and we are determined to help," Kai Jinnai told
Reuters. "While we are here we are going to do our very best."
Artikel keren lainnya:
Belum ada tanggapan untuk "N Zealand: quake toll nears 100, several missing"
Posting Komentar