Hundreds missing after earthquake

A resident walks through the center of Lyttelton as she looks at the damage from Tuesday's earthquake..

Wed, February 23, 2011 - 11:15 AM

Hundreds of people remain missing as search efforts in New Zealand continue in the aftermath of Tuesday's powerful earthquake in Christchurch.

Officials say 71 bodies have been recovered so far but more are known to still be under the rubble.

Foreign rescue workers are arriving to join the search effort, amid warnings that time is running out for survivors. No-one was found alive overnight.

The 6.3 magnitude quake is the country's biggest disaster in 80 years.

New Zealand Prime Minster, John Key, has declared a national state of emergency and authorities have imposed a curfew.

Civil Defence Minister John Carter told reporters that 71 bodies have been taken to morgues in the city so far. Officials had previously said 75 people were dead but Carter said this had not yet been confirmed.

"We are aware there are other bodies but we haven't got a number on that," he said.

Carter said earlier reports that up to 300 people were still missing was only "speculation" and that information was coming in from various sources. (BBC)