Christchurch Earthquake: Rescue Efforts Continue To Take Priority
Report - By the Scoop Team.
Confirmed dead at 39, refers to the number of bodies held at temporary morgues that have been identified.
The number is expected to rise significantly through today and this week.
Overnight around 130 to 140 people were rescued, some of those received only minor injuries, some without a scratch, but
other survivors received significant injuries and in some cases amputations had to be performed to save some people.
The focus is on rescuing people who are still alive. The recovery of bodies will come after the rescue phase.
300 Police will be arriving from Australia's eastern seaboard states, that is on top of urban search and rescue teams
that are on the way to help. That effort is being coordinated by New South Wales Police but includes personnel from
other states.
Assistance from the United States is also on its way, and the EU and United Kingdom are also committing assistance.
Urban rescue teams and sniffer dogs have been identifying where people lay, and overnight tapping sounds were heard and
text messages received that are helping rescue teams to locate where survivors are lying in the rubble.
It is believed over 100 people are still trapped.
Significant aftershocks are continuing to strike, clusters of quakes have been registering between 4 and over 5
magnitude. The aftershocks are expected to continue through this week and the months ahead.
The aftershocks make it difficult for rescue and recovery efforts where teams are navigating their way through destroyed
buildings that are at risk of further collapse.
The region's infrastructure is in tatters. Gas, water, sewerage, is out and electricity (particularly the closer you get
to the inner city) is unreliable.
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