Rural Canterbury ripped up by quake

MP Clayton Cosgrove says it is a ''miracle'' that yesterday morning's earthquake didn't result in a horror death toll.

Areas of Cosgrove's Waimakariri electorate - which covers rural Canterbury - have been left devastated by the destructive quake.

The town of Kaiopoi - 17km north of Christchurch - is without power, fresh water and its sewage system is now in ruins.

But Cosgrove said locals could still count themselves lucky that the path of destruction had yet to prove fatal.

''It's pretty bad. But the wonderful thing is when it happened - if places had been full, like restaurants, Christ it could have been awful,'' Cosgrove said.

''It is just a blessing [no-one has yet died]. There are a couple of major injuries, I think one guy was hit by a chimney. It is a miracle that at this stage there has been no reports of a fatality.

''Masonary has fallen [from buildings] and squashed cars. I saw a [badly damaged] restaurant and that is normally full. If the earthquake had happened on a Friday night when everyone was out and about it could have been bloody terrible.

''We are crossing our fingers.'' Cosgrove completed a mercy dash from a speaking arrangement in Auckland to visit the destruction yesterday.

He described the damage in his electorate as ''pretty bad''.

''The main street of Kaiapoi is shut down - there is major structural damage. They have declared an emergency down there,'' he said.

''Swimming pools have been coming out of the ground. With private housing, there are real problems  one guy couldn't get out of his house because his doors had moved. There are also problems with the beach areas.

''Some of the difficulties will be sewerage, water is going to be a major problem. And for elderly people, it is pretty cold down there... if they haven't got power or sewerage then there are serious logistical difficulties.

''With water and sewerage, I think it will be some months until they can get it restored.'' He offered his best wishes and support to those effected by the natural disaster and said he and his staff would be on hand to help in any way.

''I am trying to facilitate my people to be available for locals,'' he said.

''I have put my electorate office bus at the disposal of whoever wants it for water deliveries. I think it will come down to that.'' Cosgrove was set to attend a bowls club function in his electorate yesterday.

That was understandably cancelled.

''I rang and said, 'I think we might postpone','' he said. ''They said, 'Yep, there is no point because the [bowling] green has been destroyed and part of the building is destroyed.''

- © Fairfax NZ News