Quake of 4.5 magnitude strikes 12 miles north-west of the capital, Wellington, as country holds day of mourning
A 4.5-magnitude earthquake was felt by thousands of people in New Zealand as the country held a day of mourning for the 159 confirmed victims and many more missing since last week's quake in Christchurch.
This time the earthquake, about 25 miles underground, was felt 12 miles north-west of Wellington. There were no reports of damage after the jolt, just after 10pm local time (09.00 GMT), but the New Zealand Herald reported that houses shook and it felt like the shockwave after the Christchurch quake.
Earlier, church bells rang across the country, flags flew at half-mast, and rescue crews in Christchurch switched off jackhammers to join the two-minute silence at 12.51pm, a week after the disaster. Across the city and in many other towns, people gathered, remembering the moments that left the city centre in ruins.
"We are going to come through this, and we are going to rebuild Christchurch," said the prime minister, John Key, who grew up in the city. He marked the silence at an art gallery, now used for the rescue operation.
Traffic stopped by the Knox church and historic Carlton hotel, both ruined in the earthquake.
"I've lived here all my life ? it's my home and it hurts so much to see it in this way," said Mike Cochrane, a resident.
The government plans an inquiry into the collapse of some buildings in the city, which were cleared as safe after another quake in September. Police believe at least 240 people died. So far 159 bodies have been recovered, and eight formally identified.
The funeral, on Monday, of five-month-old Baxtor Gowland, was followed by that of Jaime Gilbert, 22, a barman and father of two, who was crushed by rubble. At the funeral his family thanked his colleagues who dug to try to save him.
Amid clearance work in the grounds of Christchurch cathedral, two time capsules ? a glass bottle and metal container ? were recovered from the plinth of the damaged Victorian statue of the city's founder, John Robert Godley, and handed to the city's museum.
Christchurch residents were warned to stay clear of beaches, now contaminated by sewage. Chlorination of water supplies has begun and shower blocks, providing hot water, have been set up in old shipping containers.
An estimated NZ$14m (�6.4m) has poured into the relief fund. The government has a NZ$120m emergency package.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/01/new-zealand-hit-further-earthquake
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