Strong earthquake hits New Zealand
New Zealand military leaders said on Nov. 16, they had almost completed the evacuation of more than 700 tourists and residents from a small coastal town, two days after a powerful earthquake cut off train and vehicle access.
The magnitude 7.8 quake left two people dead, triggered a small tsunami, and brought down rocks and mud that swept across highways.
Air Commodore Darryn Webb, the acting commander of New Zealand’s Joint Forces, told The Associated Press that crews were loading about 380 people and three dogs onto a navy ship. He said the ship was due to leave Wednesday evening for a six-hour trip to a port near Christchurch.
Webb said it had evacuated another 340 people by helicopter since Tuesday.
Other tourists have left by chartering their own helicopters or having air transport provided by their embassy. Some have chosen to stay until an inland road reopens. (AP)
See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Tumblr.
