New Zealand's Christchurch was rocked by a fresh series of powerful earthquakes on Friday, sending terrified people fleeing into the streets 10 months after a devastating quake claimed 181 lives. Two shallow quakes of magnitude 5.8 and 5.9 and a series of aftershocks struck as malls were packed with afternoon Christmas shoppers, sending stock tumbling from the shelves and turning the festive mood to panic.
The quakes, which temporarily closed the international airport and disrupted communications, were the latest in a series that began 15 months ago and have destroyed much of the inner-city. Local news media reported people fleeing in fear as the quake and a series of aftershocks rattled the city, leading to liquefaction and flooding in some suburbs worst hit by previous earthquakes. Liquefaction is caused when shaking loosens the bonds between soil particles, turning the ground into a quagmire.
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