当地时间2010年9月4日凌晨，南岛发生里氏7.2级地震，震源深度20公里。截止2010年9月4日10时，地震已造成2人重伤，另有几人受轻伤，零死亡，华人基本安全。2010-04-14青海省玉树县7.1级地震已经造成400多人死亡，上万人受伤。新西兰地震低伤亡的原因除了不属于直下型地震以外还有：人口密度低；房屋抗震性能高。地震防救，任重而道远。
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New Zealand Begins Post-EarthquakeClean-Up
NewZealands second-biggest city, Christchurch（克赖斯特彻奇，又名基督城）,is facing an enormous clean-up after being struck by the countrysworst earthquake in 80 years. The magnitude 7quake devastated parts of Christchurch early Saturday.
Mayor Bob Parker is urging residents to stayindoors.
"This is nota good time to go out, as curious as you may be, and have a lookaround if it means driving out onto the streets because we need tokeep them free for emergency services," Parker advised. "Use commonsense; emergency services are flat out（全力以赴） at the moment.The assessment is underway. Take sensible precautions, but dont goout sightseeing. "
Authoritiessay it is a miracle no one was killed after disaster struckSaturday before dawn, when most people were still asleep. A smallnumber of serious injuries have been reported.
Roads andbridges have been left in ruins and troops are expected to bedeployed（部署） to help in the emergency effort.Power and water supplies have also been disrupted. Authorities saythe clean-up will be long and expensive. The damage bill isestimated at about $1.5 billion.
A seriesof aftershocks （一系列余震）have unnerved a wary population.
Thisweekends earthquake is among the 10 strongest the country has everrecorded.
New Zealandsits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire（太平洋火圈）, a vastarea of unpredictable seismicactivity（一个会发生不可预知的地震的巨大区域）. The Southpacific country of more than 4 million people experiences more than14,000 earthquakes each year. Most are minor butoccasionally nature displays its destructive power.
A night timecurfew（宵禁） was imposed in parts of Christchurch, whileschools offered emergency shelter to those left homeless.
