Earthquake In New Zealand

Mr Key, who visited earthquake-stricken parts of the country's South Island over the weekend, said 430 houses and another 70 buildings had already been earmarked for demolition by assessment teams. About 100,000 of the 160,000 homes in the Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri areas had sustained some damage, he added.
"I was awe-struck by the power of the earthquake and the damage it has caused in the city," he told reporters. "It was miraculous that nobody was killed."
Schools will remain closed for the next two days to allow safety checks. The cost of repairs has been estimated at NZ$2bn ($1.44bn; £930m). Most households and businesses were expected to claim from their insurers and the Earthquake Commission (EQC), officials said.