(NDJ) – Images of today’s devastating 7.2 earthquake only four miles from Christchurch city in New Zeeland are starting to come in.   Damage to buildings and houses is extensive and at some places, entire facades gone.

Rubble is spread throughout the city of 370,000 residents and looting has also began.  Aftershocks are still felt often with some shakes reported as strong as 6.1 and 5.7 on the Richter scale.

Watch photos of the devastation:

Christchuch, which is New Zeeland’s second largest city, after Wellington, declared a state of emergency after the quake hit, leaving many residents with loss of power and having to take cover in make-shift shelters.

Substantial damage to some roads makes rescue and cleanup efforts very difficult in those areas that vehicles can’t get to.  Luckily, only one person received serious injuries in the quake   The NZ government estimates that the damage may amount to NZ$2 billion ($1.44 billion).

Christchurch resident Tracey Chambers said in a phone interview today:

“It’s unbelievable, it’s like a war zone.  We’ve got so many big, brick historic buildings here and a lot have caved in, including the restaurants and bars. If the earthquake had happened a few hours earlier, hundreds would have been killed.”

The quake hit around 4:35 AM local time when most Christchurch residents were still asleep, which, despite the enormous material destruction, may indeed have been a blessing in disguise.

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