A note for overseas readers

The best source for news updates on the Christchurch earthquake is on Fairfax’s website Stuff, at  this page.

The best eyewitness account is this by Vicki Anderson.

Jim Tucker has uploaded a swathe of dramatic photos to Flickr here.

Cash donations can be made through the Red Cross here.

Because New Zealand is so small most of us have friends and/or family in Christchurch who have been directly affected, and we don’t yet know how many people are dead – 75 have been confirmed but unofficial reports put the missing at perhaps 300. It is a very sombre time throughout the country.

UPDATE:

According to Stuff, “Police say there are 238 people on the missing persons list but say many of these people will simply have left town.” Let’s hope. 

UPDATE 2:

Two more good eyewitness accounts, from Zara Potts and Philip Matthews, and a sequel to Vicki Anderson’s one linked to above.