Residents' homes smashed by quake

Some Canterbury homes have been totally smashed by this morning's 7.1 magnitude earthquake, with others also suffering substantial damage.

William Cottrell, of Glenroy, near Mt Hutt, owns Gunyah. He said the 1912 homestead had been utterly destroyed.  "You can drive a car through the hole in our roof.''

"Two chimneys fell and demolished the antique two-poster bed we were in. We were so lucky.''

He said his leg had been crushed under some bricks. "But I can't believe I'm alive.''

The mountain of bricks then crashed through the bedroom floor into the dining room below.

He said the lodge had six guests, who had all left, as there was no power.

Hororata resident Bryan Hall said his home, west of Christchurch, had also lost a chimney and furniture had broken.

"There are books just everywhere and all the pictures are at peculiar angles.

However, he had managed to light a log fire to boil a kettle for some coffee.

Historic Godley House, at Diamond Harbour, has suffered very serious damage. Owner Richard Hawes said he thought he was going to die as he was on the second floor of the 130-year-old homestead when it "wobbled like a jelly''.

The building now has cracks from the foundation upwards with many windows out and a large hole in a wall.

Kevin O'Hanlon, from Mairehau, in Christchurch, said the quake was unbelievable.

"Just unbelievable. I was awake to go to work and then just heard this massive noise and, boom, it was like the house got hit. It just started shaking. I've never felt anything like it."

Lyttelton resident Jason Greig said the earthquake had brought down two chimneys on his house and water was leaking in from a ruptured water tank on its roof.

Outside, neighbours were inspecting damage to their properties.

Inside his home pictures had fallen off walls and crockery was smashed on the floor of the kitchen.

Colleen Simpson, from Christchurch, said everyone was out in the street in their pyjamas looking scared and worried. There was no power, buildings were down and the mobile network was failing.

"Oh my God. There is a row of shops completely demolished right in front of me," she said, from her car.

Simpson and her young family were heading to her sister's house, where there was still power, so everyone could be together.

Shelley Richard, a resident of Culver Place and Holderstone Drive, in Dallington, said her entire house had shifted off its foundations. A 5cm gap was now visible between the house and the concrete foundations.

Richard said she could not open any doors inside the house or her garden gate and said it was too dangerous to return home.

She had tried repeatedly to call her insurance firm but had not been able to get through.

Richard said she had picked up her mum from Kate Sheppard rest because it had been closed following the quake.

Residents near Brighton and Dallington were using buckets to get river water for  flushing toilets. Others were standing outside a closed supermarket where they had hoped to buy water.

The water swirling around the roads smell of sewage.

WIDESPREAD DAMAGE

The damage appears to be widespread across the city.

There is widespread damage to buildings on the corner of Edgeware Rd and Barbados St, with rubble lying on the road and properties badly damaged. Power lines are also down on the footpath in the area.

There is a partial blockage in Litchfield St because of damage.

There are cars damaged in Madras St and bridges in Brighton and South Brighton are also damaged.

Avonside Drive has been seriously damaged. The street has been ripped apart and there have been reports of one house lifted off its foundation. Its garage has also collapsed. The residents are understood to be out of town.

The suburb of Sydenham has been hit hard. Many older buildings have been demolished and police cordons are around some of the shops.

Ryan Shaw, in Christchurch, said "TV fallen off cabinet, books, pot plants everywhere and I'm very shaken."

SOUTH CANTERBURY

Grant Shimmin, in Temuka, South Canterbury, said the quake seemed to go on for a long time, possibly as long as a minute.

"It sounded like some objects were falling around the house, although we've not found anything broken.

"My daughters, in their respective bedrooms, were both woken quickly and called out, obviously feeling pretty scared, and we huddled under doorways."

Timaru District Council emergency management officer Lamorna Cooper says there have been no issues raised about the hydro system following the earthquake, and teams will be checking the dams.

CENTRAL OTAGO

A resident of Alexandra - in Central Otago - also reported feeling the quake.

"Our house was moving from side to side and the movements were pretty big. Nothing was damaged and I didn't hear any furniture moving, but the house was moving a lot."

Charlie Hobbs, a chief guide based at the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, said he believed the quake triggered some ice fall avalanches on the mountain.

- © Fairfax NZ News