Bird's eye view reveals extent of devastation

A helicopter flight across Canterbury today revealed some heartbreaking and awesome sights, as people took stock of the damage inflicted on infrastructure and property from the city to the foothills of the Southern Alps.

 The dismissive power of this morning's quake was evident from a landscape of twisted railways lines, shattered roads and collapsed houses.

 Near to the quake's epicentre in Darfield scores of broken chimney stacks stood out like broken teeth, with the worst of the damage reserved for the elderly buildings.

 Tragically, one of the devastated buildings was the historic Homebush homestead of Deans family, which had severe damage to the upper stories and roof, with its beautiful brickwork spread across the house's surrounding lawns.

 Liz Deans, of the nearby Tara Farm, said her home had escaped severe structural damage but Homebush had not been so lucky.

 "Every room has broken things in it but structurally our house is fine except for the chimney,'' she said.

 St Johns Church at Hororata was also cordoned off with parts of its tower reduced to rubble.

 Further south, near Rolleston, a train had halted in front of section of broken track next to Railway Rd where the force of the quake had made a chicane of the once straight track.

 Heading across the plains to the city, Cathedral Sq and the central streets looked eerily empty, enlivened mainly by the movement of emergency vehicles, the fluttering of safety cordons and the glinting of broken glass.

 Looking down on New Brighton, broken water pipes had given streets the appearance of paddy fields; cars drove wheel high in the water and a loan kayaker negotiated the flooded streets.

- © Fairfax NZ News