A day after a magnitude-6.3 earthquake struck Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand at 12:51 p.m. Tuesday, the country's police authorities said at least 75 people were confirmed dead and some 300 others were missing.
The safety of 27 Japanese, most of them staying in the city for English- language training, has not yet been determined. The students are trapped in a building that collapsed during the quake.
It is said that rescue within the first 72 hours of an earthquake is critical for the survival of people trapped inside collapsed buildings. If there is air and water, and if they are not critically injured, however, they can survive longer. It is hoped that rescue operations in the city will go smoothly. Japan's rescue team, which includes 17 rescuers as well as doctors, nurses, police and coast guard officers, has arrived and started its work in Christchurch.