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A car destroyed by falling masonry is left abandoned in Christchurch. AP/Press Association Images
New Zealand
Death toll mounts after New Zealand earthquake
The official toll of last week’s 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch has risen to 154 as aftershocks continue to rock the city.
AT LEAST 154 PEOPLE ARE NOW known to have died as a result of last week’s earthquake in Christchurch city centre, New Zealand.
New Zealand’s Civil Defence said earlier that although 240 people remain missing, some of those may be included among the 154 confirmed dead.
“The disaster victim identification process is thorough and time-consuming”, the Civil Defence said in a statement, and identification teams from Thailand and Israel had joined in the efforts.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key announced a six-week support package for Christchurch businesses and workers affected by the earthquake. Part of this will cover the employees of businesses considered no longer viable.
The Mayor of Christchurch Bob Parker has called for two minutes of silence today in memory of the victim’s of Tuesday’s earthquake.
The city is still experiencing aftershocks of up to 4.3 magnitude, the New Zealand Herald reports. The aftershocks have been affected search and rescue work in the city as damaged buildings are rendered increasingly unstable.
There is still no word on the Irish man missing since the earthquake.
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