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New Zealand's most destructive earthquake in nearly 80 years caused two billion dollars' worth of damage Saturday, felling buildings, tearing up roads and sending terrified residents fleeing into the streets.
Officials said it was "extremely lucky" no one was killed when the 7.0 magnitude quake shook the country's second-largest city, Christchurch, just before dawn.
Frightened residents fled from their homes to find streets covered in rubble and glass, but despite the extent of the damage only two people were seriously injured in the city of 340 000 people.
A state of emergency was declared in Christchurch and a 7:00 pm to 7:00 am curfew imposed in the city centre as initial estimates put the damage at up to two billion dollars (1.44 billion US).
Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said he was "horrified by the amount of damage" which daylight showed was considerably worse than first thought.
Few people were on the streets as the quake hit but building facades crashed to the ground, crushing parked cars and showering the roads with shattered glass, while gas and water electricity supplies were cut.
Residents were warned to stay away from damaged buildings for fear of further collapses as severe aftershocks continued to rock the city.
The quake, initially recorded at a magnitude of 7.4, struck at 4:35 am (1635 GMT Friday) at a depth of five kilometres (three miles), 45 kilometres west of Christchurch, the US Geological Survey said.
Police closed the centre of the city as looters targeted damaged shops, and brought in 80 extra officers from Auckland to enforce the curfew. The military was also mobilised, with troops assisting the police security efforts and a Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules plane bringing urban rescue specialists with sniffer dogs to comb wreckage for anyone trapped in the rubble.
