New Zealand city of Christchurch hit by 6.3 quake
Damaged buildings are seen in Christchurch, New Zealand after a strong, 6.3-magnitude earthquake rocked the southern city Photograph: AP
5.12am / 6.12pm NZ: The mayor of Christchurch, Bob Parker, has just given a press conference in which he has tried to prepare the city for a "major tragedy".
5.10am / 6.10pm: The New Zealand Herald has the most grim news so far, of "bodies lying in the streets" of Christchurch:
Residents are reporting bodies lying in the streets of Christchurch following this afternoon's magnitude 6.3 earthquake.
Police said fatalities had been reported at several locations and that two buses had been crushed by falling buildings. Christchurch mayor Bob Parker has declared a state of emergency.
Christchurch resident Jaydn Katene told the Herald: "We've had friends in town call us and say there are just bodies lying around; lots of dead bodies outside shops just lying there just covered in bricks."
5.03am / 6.03pm NZ: The Canterbury Television building has been one of the hardest hit in the centre of the city, with several bodies being taken out on stretchers and parts of the building on fire. Burst water mains in the area means that fire fighters are having to use monsoon buckets to put it out.
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