Christchurch, September 4
New Zealand’s most destructive earthquake in nearly 80 years caused $1.44 billion worth of damage today, felling buildings, tearing up roads and sending terrified residents fleeing onto the streets.

Officials said it was “extremely lucky” no one was killed when the 7.1-magnitude quake shook the island nation’s second-largest city of 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 3,40,000 people.

Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said he was “horrified by the amount of damage” which daylight showed was considerably worse than first thought. “There would not be a house, there would not be a family in our city that has not in some way have damage done to their person, to their property,” Parker said on national radio.

“I think it’s like an iceberg; there is... below the visible line, significant structural damage.” 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.

A state of emergency was declared in Christchurch and a 7 pm to 7 am curfew imposed in the city centre as initial estimates put the damage at up to $1.44 billion.

Residents were warned to stay away from damaged buildings for fear of further collapses as severe aftershocks continued to rock the city.

“I think we’ve been extremely lucky as a nation that there’s been no fatalities... we’re blessed actually,” Civil Defence Minister John Carter said after being briefed on the impact of the quake he described as a “significant disaster”.

Prime Minister John Key flew to the city to survey the scene and support residents, many of whom described the quake as a terrifying experience. “We are not going to let Christchurch suffer this great tragedy on its own,” Key said.

The quake, initially recorded at a magnitude of 7.4, struck at a depth of 5 km, some 45 km west of Christchurch, the US Geological Survey said.

“Oh my God. There is a row of shops completely demolished right in front of me,” resident Colleen Simpson told the Stuff website, adding that many people had run out onto the streets in fear. — AFP

London, September 4
Eggs and shoes were hurled at Tony Blair in Dublin where the former British Premier was signing copies of his memoirs, as scores of anti-war activists clashed with the police outside the bookshop. As Blair arrived to attend the book signing, the protesters who had gathered at the street threw shoes and eggs at him.

However, the missiles did not hit Blair, who is often labelled as "B-liar" by his critics who charge him of going to the Iraq war along with the US on the false claim of the presence of weapons of mass destruction in that country.

Three persons were arrested as activists clashed with the Irish police as they tried to push down a security barrier outside the bookshop, the BBC reported.

As around 200 protesters demonstrated on one side of the street against Blair's role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, another 300 gathered on the other side of the road to get a copy of his book signed.

"Hey hey Tony hey, how many kids have you killed today?" shouted protesters as Blair remained inside the shop.

Blair autobiography 'A Journey' details his accounts of life in the Downing Street, including the Iraq war and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This was Blair's first book-signing since the publication of his autobiography. It has already shot to the top of Amazon's best-seller list.

Blair, the prime minister of Britain from 1997 to 2007 has also written about the death of Princess Diana, and his relations with his successor Gordon Brown.

The demonstrators ranged from anti-war activists to the opponents of the Northern Ireland peace process. — PTI

Islamabad, September 4
The banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for suicide attacks on Shia processions in Quetta and Lahore that killed nearly 100 people and warned that the group would launch attacks in the US and Europe.

Dreaded commander Qari Hussain, known as "ustad-e-fidayeen", told journalists in the country's northwest on phone yesterday that the attacks in the two cities were carried out by Taliban suicide bombers.

Though the Taliban are fighting the US and the Pakistan government, Shias were also the targets of the militants, he said.

"Our war is against America and Pakistan," Hussain said. Attacks on the pattern of the botched car bombing in New York's Time Square will be carried out in Europe and the US soon, he said.

More attacks in Europe and the US will prove that the Taliban are "still organised and active," he said.

Meanwhile, the toll climbed up 65 in Quetta blasts and condition of more than 150 others was stated to be serious. — PTI