© Mark Mitchell/APCould it be any more symbolic? The second devastating earthquake to hit New Zealand's second-largest city in 5 months topples Christchurch Cathedral's spire.
By TVNewZealand
© Mark Mitchell/APDebris litters central Christchurch after it was struck by the 6.3 magnitude earthquake
© APPeople break windows to prepare to be rescued from a high-rise building
© Logan Mcmillan/AFP/Getty ImagesPeople walk through debris in the aftermath of the earthquake in Christchurch
© Iain McGregor/ReutersA man is seen after being pulled from the rubble. Search and rescue teams are working through the night to find survivors
© ReutersTwo women console each other in front of a collapsed building
© Mark Mitchell/APRescue workers work to extinguish a fire at a collapsed building in central Christchurch
© Iain Mcgregor/ReutersA man holds a child in his arms after the earthquake struck Christchurch
© Martin Hunter/Getty ImagesA man runs for cover. The mayor of Christchurch, Bob Parker, has declared a state of emergency and ordered people to evacuate the city centre
© Martin Hunter/Getty ImagesCars teeter on the top floor of a damaged car park. Many cars were buried under the rubble after the quake struck
Last September's quake was 7.1 on the Richter scale, this one was "only" 6.3, but the damage was worse.
September's 7.1 quake was 30km away, 11km deep, at about 4:30am, and caused no deaths and very few injuries.
Today's 6.3 was 10km away, only 5km deep, and happened in the middle of a busy week day, and we have dozens dead and hundreds injured.
At least we have some practise with earthquakes now, though no amount of practise ever prepares one for the horror of missing friends and wrecked homes.
Ah well; another day, another cleanup. Such is life on the Pacific Rim.