Promises of quake aid surge in

Central Christchurch streets were piled with rubble after yesterday's earthquake. Photo / Danny Bare

Promises of aid have started coming in after a massive earthquake hit Canterbury early yesterday morning, causing billions of dollars of damage, cutting water and power, and leaving many forced out of their homes after their houses were destroyed.

Central Christchurch streets were piled with rubble, cordoned off and under curfew until 7am today after the magnitude 7.1 quake. Buildings and infrastructure were damaged throughout the city and region, and strong winds forecast for today could cause more problems.

Three welfare centres were set up in the central city yesterday, with the National Crisis Management Centre reporting about 70 people at each of the welfare centres early today.

The Salvation Army, which fed 1000 people at two Christchurch locations yesterday, has launched an appeal to help feed and support those affected by the quake.

"New Zealanders are reeling from the disaster that struck Christchurch this weekend," Salvation Army national fundraising coordinator Major Robbie Ross said.

"Not since the 1930s have we experienced an earthquake as severe and it is important that we do everything we can to help."

Red Cross has also begun accepting online and phone donations to help people affected by the earthquake.

Prime Minister John Key has pledged government support to the people of Canterbury, where damage has been estimated at $2 billion by the Earthquake Commission.

"We are here to support them. We are not going to let Christchurch suffer this great tragedy on its own," Mr Key said yesterday.

While people who were insured would get payouts from the Earthquake Commission, there would be a mayoral fund to support those who weren't, Mr Key said.

ANZ Bank is donating $1 million to the proposed fund, and TelstraClear will give $100,000.

Mr Key's visit was also to get an assessment of what government assistance was required, he said.

Earthquake Commission and insurance specialists expected to report back on Monday, but he warned it could take months before the extent of all the damage was known.

Insurance company State spent yesterday reassuring customers that they were insured, and that their first priority should be to safeguard themselves, their families and protect their property as much as they can until repairs can be made, executive general manager Mary-Jane Daly said.

People with house and contents insurance automatically have Earthquake Commission cover.

Customers should take photos before moving anything or tidying up, making assessment of their insurance claim easier, she said.

Westpac Bank and ANZ were also offering customers relief such as deferral of home loan repayments, or waiving fees.

Eighty police officers from Auckland will help with general duties and recovery, and an air force Hercules is flying to the city with 42 urban search and rescue personnel and three dogs.

Two New Zealand Red Cross emergency management teams with 21 members had also helped around the city, using 4WD vehicles to look for people cut off in the countryside west of Christchurch.

Around a dozen people had been pulled from either lifts, buildings or holes in the ground.

A large fire in a central city building created more work for an already stretched fire service.

Power and phone services have been restored to much of the region, but water shortages and contamination remain a problem.

The 4.35am quake, the nation's most damaging since 1931, forced many people from their homes, but the only person known to suffer critical injury was a man in his 50s. A second man suffered serious cuts, and many had cuts, scratches and broken limbs.

Aftershocks continued throughout the night, with GeoNet reporting nine quakes - ranging between magnitude 3.2 and 4.9 - between 10.30pm and 3am in the Canterbury region.

A state of emergency was likely to be in place in Christchurch until noon on Monday in the city, and until today in other districts.

All Christchurch Hospitals were operational, though people were asked to go to hospital only if it was an emergency.

- NZPA