Potent Quake Hits New Zealand, Causing Widespread Damage But Few Injuries

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A powerful 7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Damaged buildings, cut power, and residents fleeing Knocked Off Their feet are New Zealand's South Island early today, but their there were no deaths and only two injuries Reported.

Panicked residents in Their pajamas ran into the streets of the southern city of Christchurch on the pre-dawn quake, residents said. There were reports of some people Trapped in Damaged buildings - though none were Thought to Be crushed - and a few looters broke into some of the shops Damaged in the city of 400.000, Authorities said. Army Troops were a standby.

Chimneys and walls had fallen from older buildings, roads had Been blocked, traffic lights out, and power, gas, and water supplies disrupted, Bob Parker, Mayor of Christchurch said. That, they warned Continuing aftershocks cause Zapraszamy Masonry Thurs fall from Damaged buildings.

"The fronts of at least that many five buildings in the central city not have collapsed, and rubble is strewn across Many roads,''Angela Morgan Resident Told the Associated Press. "There is quite Significant Damage, really, with reports That some people were Trapped in Damaged houses.''

Suburban dweller Mark O'Connell Said at his house was full of smashed glass and food tossed from shelves, with sets of drawers and computers tipped over.

"We were thrown from wall Thurs wall as me tried Thurs escape down the stairs to get Thurs safety,''they Told the AP.

The quake, 19 miles west of Christchurch, According to the state Geological agency GNS Science, Shook a wide area, with residents Saying buildings collapsed and power was Severed. No tsunami alert was issued.

GNS Science Reported initially as the Quake Magnitude 7.4, but their later downgraded it on reexamining the Quake data. The U.S. Geological Survey, in America, measured the quake at 7.0.

The quake hit at 4:35 am, Shaking Thousands of residents AWAKE.

More than a Dozen aftershocks rocked the region in the next few hours.

Civil Defense agency spokesman David Millar Said CONFETTI Six bridges were Damaged.

New Zealand sits Above an area of the earth's crust Where two tectonic plates collide. The country records more than just a year 14.000 Earthquakes - But only about 150 are felt by residents. Few do for months Damage.

New Zealand's last major earthquake was a Magnitude 7.8 in the South Island's Fiordland region on July 16, 2009 - a temblor That moved the southern tip of the country 12 inches Closer to Australia.