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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| New Zealand quake: Britons wait for news of casualties | New Zealand quake: Britons wait for news of casualties |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| British officials in New Zealand say they are waiting for news of whether any Britons have been killed in the Christchurch earthquake. | British officials in New Zealand say they are waiting for news of whether any Britons have been killed in the Christchurch earthquake. |
| British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell said staff were in contact with police at the city's mortuary. | British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell said staff were in contact with police at the city's mortuary. |
| There have been reports of British casualties, but she said it would be foolish to speculate about numbers. | There have been reports of British casualties, but she said it would be foolish to speculate about numbers. |
| Ms Treadell urged concerned relatives in the UK to call the Foreign Office helpline in London on 020 7008 8765. | Ms Treadell urged concerned relatives in the UK to call the Foreign Office helpline in London on 020 7008 8765. |
| She also said that anyone who hears that a relative is safe should tell the authorities, so they can be discounted from any search. | She also said that anyone who hears that a relative is safe should tell the authorities, so they can be discounted from any search. |
| At least 75 people are known to have died, and 200 are still missing, after the quake which hit Christchurch at lunchtime on Tuesday (2351 GMT on Monday). | At least 75 people are known to have died, and 200 are still missing, after the quake which hit Christchurch at lunchtime on Tuesday (2351 GMT on Monday). |
| The Irish government has said that two of its citizens died in the earthquake. A spokesman said he had "serious concerns" about two other citizens, and concerns about a further 10. | The Irish government has said that two of its citizens died in the earthquake. A spokesman said he had "serious concerns" about two other citizens, and concerns about a further 10. |
| Asked about reports of British deaths, Ms Treadell told the BBC: "That would be pure guesswork, and what we need to do is to deal with the facts so that we don't cause any greater unsettlement and grief than is necessary." | Asked about reports of British deaths, Ms Treadell told the BBC: "That would be pure guesswork, and what we need to do is to deal with the facts so that we don't cause any greater unsettlement and grief than is necessary." |
| State of emergency | State of emergency |
| She said officials were in touch regularly with the senior police officer in charge of the mortuary where bodies were being taken. | She said officials were in touch regularly with the senior police officer in charge of the mortuary where bodies were being taken. |
| "As and when any of those fatalities are identified as British - if we get that information - we too will be able to confirm whether it is one or more." | "As and when any of those fatalities are identified as British - if we get that information - we too will be able to confirm whether it is one or more." |
| New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jon Key, has declared a national state of emergency. | New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jon Key, has declared a national state of emergency. |
| The airport in Christchurch is closed, many power and telephone lines have been knocked out, and burst water mains have flooded whole districts. | The airport in Christchurch is closed, many power and telephone lines have been knocked out, and burst water mains have flooded whole districts. |
| Ms Treadell has been visiting a hospital where many of the injured are being treated, and paid tribute to the doctors there. | Ms Treadell has been visiting a hospital where many of the injured are being treated, and paid tribute to the doctors there. |
| "We have a team of staff on the ground and have been going around the triage centres in Christchurch to let people know we are here and can help them. The people have ranged from young backpackers to elderly package tourists," she said. | "We have a team of staff on the ground and have been going around the triage centres in Christchurch to let people know we are here and can help them. The people have ranged from young backpackers to elderly package tourists," she said. |
| Speaking about the scenes in Christchurch, she said: "It is a confusing scenario. We know there are people still alive inside collapsed buildings, and those are the buildings that are taking the priority of the search." | Speaking about the scenes in Christchurch, she said: "It is a confusing scenario. We know there are people still alive inside collapsed buildings, and those are the buildings that are taking the priority of the search." |
| Rescue | Rescue |
| British rescue teams are being sent to New Zealand to help in the search operation. | British rescue teams are being sent to New Zealand to help in the search operation. |
| The Foreign Office says that 55 Fire and Rescue Service personnel will leave from Heathrow this afternoon. | |
| One group flying out to New Zealand is the UK International Search and Rescue team. Its operations commander for the UK, Peter Stevenson, said he was amazed how long trapped people could survive. | |
| "In Haiti, somebody was rescued 28 days after the initial earthquake. Now obviously, that is very unusual," he said. | "In Haiti, somebody was rescued 28 days after the initial earthquake. Now obviously, that is very unusual," he said. |
| "What we are looking at here is a period of three to five, six days really when we need to be carrying out the rescue. That's our best window of opportunity." | "What we are looking at here is a period of three to five, six days really when we need to be carrying out the rescue. That's our best window of opportunity." |