THIS BREAKING NEWS BULLETIN WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. A SEVERE EARTHQUAKE AT THE TOP OF THE SOUTH ISLAND HAS SEEN PEOPLE FLEEING HOMES AND OFFICES IN THE REGION. THERE'S GRIDLOCK IN THE CAPITAL, WITH TRAINS CANCELLED AND BUS SERVICES UNDER EXTREME PRESSSURE. THE 6.6 QUAKE HIT 10 KILOMETRES SOUTH EAST OF SEDDON AND HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY A NUMBER OF STRONG AFTERSHOCKS, THE FIRST MEASURING 5.7. THIS TREMOR IS LARGER IN MAGNITUDE THAN THE 6.5 QUAKE WHICH ROCKED THE CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND IN JULY. THE MAYOR OF WELLINGTON, CELIA WADE-BROWN HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE JUST A SHORT TIME AGO. We have Simon Bradwell standing by. Just a few seconds ago, we have very strong after-shock here. All of us TVNZ looked at each other and said 'can you feel that?' Before that, there was a sense of normality returning to the city. The gridlock was plaguing the city has now eased. This has been a pretty unnerving afternoon the people in the capital. The quake felt very very strong in the TVNZ newsroom, strong enough to knock over equipment. This one we just had was a very significant after-shock. WELLINGTON's EXPERIENCED QUITE A BIG SHAKE ` 6.2 NEAR SEDDON. BUT IT'S A REALLY RESILIENT CITY. WE'VE HAD REPORTS OF SOME SUPERFICIAL DAMAGE. WE'VE HAD REPORTS OF SOME WATER DAMAGE INSIDE BUILDINGS. BUT NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. THERE IS TRAFFIC CONGESTION, BIG TRAFFIC JAMS BECAUSE EVERYONE IS TRYING TO GO HOME AT THE SAME TIME. WE HAVEN'T GOT FULL INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER ANYONE IS STUCK IN A LIFT OR NOT. WE'VE JUST HAD NO REPORTS OF ANY INJURIES EXCEPT ONE WOMAN I KNOW DIVED UNDER A TABLE AT A CAFE AND GOT THE HEIGHT OF THE TABLE SLIGHTLY WRONG, SO SHE'S GOT A BIT OF A BRUISE ON HER HEAD. SO THAT'S THE ONLY DAMAGE THAT I'VE HEARD OF TO HUMANS. WE HAVE BLOCKED A BUILDING AT THE MOMENT, WHERE THE LIFT SHAFT WAS BRACED BY COUNCIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, JUST AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. DON'T RUSH HOME. MAKE CONTACT WITH YOUR FAMILY. WE WERE ALL TEXTING INSTEAD OF PHONING EARLIER ON BECAUSE THE LINES WERE BUSY. TAKE INTO ACCOUNT YOUR ORDINARY AN EMERGENCY PLAN; MEET BACK WHERE YOU WOULD NORMALLY MEET BACK. WE THINK THIS IS BUSINESS AS USUAL, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE WHILE FOR PEOPLE TO GET HOME TONIGHT. WE'VE GOT NO REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. THERE ARE SOME BUSINESSES WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A BIT OF SORTING OUT THE PAPERS, AND NO DOUBT THERE ARE SOME RETAIL BUSINESSES WHERE THINGS HAVE FALLEN OFF HE SHELVES, BUT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE BETTER PREPARED. THEY'VE ACTUALLY FIXED THOSE CUPBOARDS TO THE WALL, MADE SURE THEY'VE GOT WATER AND SO ON. I THINK WE'VE BOUNCED BACK VERY WELL. The lack of damage shows the investments we have made and infrastructure. We know that there are quakes. We are prepared and built for it. The better prepared you are, the more relaxed you will feel. Make everyone knows what to do. Make sure your phone is fully charged and you have a radio with battery. Pop around your neighbours, or any elderly people. We heard from Simo Bradwell about there being unsettling quakes. BILL FRY FROM GNS. ALSO AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE WAS CIVIL DEFENCE'S BRUCE PEPPERELL WHO SAID THEY ARE MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IS SAFE IN THE CAPITAL SO PEOPLE CAN CONFIDENTLY RETURN TO WORK ON MONDAY. IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, THE AIRPORT STOPS, DOES ITS CHECKS, THE TRAINS STOP AND DO THEIR CHECKS, JUST AS A PRECAUTIONARY THING. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, IT'S ALMOST AN EXPONENTIAL SITUATION. SO 6.5 ON THE RICHTER SCALE'S A HELL OF A LOT MORE DESTRUCTIVE THAN 6.2, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, THAT'S THE IMPACT AT THE EPICENTRE, AND DEPENDING HOW DEEP IT IS, HOW FAR AWAY THE EPICENTRE IS, IT'LL MANIFEST ITSELF IN DIFFERENT WAYS, SAY, IN OUR CITY HERE. IT HAS SHAKEN PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE. THE SHAKE CERTAINLY FELT STRONG IN WELLINGTON CITY, BUT ALSO UP IN WAIKANAE AND UP THE KAPITI TOO. VERY MINIMAL DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE REGION. The quake was reported a 6.2. In the last half hour, it was upgraded to 6.6. THE QUAKE HAS OVERLOADED CELLPHONE NETWORKS AND PEOPLE ARE BEING URGED TO USE TEXT WHERE POSSIBLE. EMERGENCY CALLS ARE STILL WORKING. POLICE SAY STILL NO REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OR INJURIES. TRAIN SERVICES ARE CURRENTLY SUSPENDED IN WELLINGTON. KIWI RAIL IS ASKING COMMUTERS TO MAKE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH BUSES FOR PEAK HOUR. Police are stopping traffic outside Wellington rail station. LARGE TRAFFIC JAMS AS PEOPLE FLEE WELLINGTON WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL'S URGING PEOPLE TO STAY OFF THE ROADS TO KEEP THEM CLEAR FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES. SOME WELLINGTON BUILDINGS HAVE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE, WITH BROKEN WINDOWS BUT NO REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. RESIDENTS OF SEDDON WHO WANT TO LEAVE HOMES, ARE URGED TO GO TO SEDDON SCHOOL. Power has been restored In Wellington. STATE HIGHWAY 1 BETWEEN BLENHEIM AND KAIKOURA CLOSED. PEOPLE IN QUAKE AFFECTED AREAS ARE ASKED TO CHECK ON THEIR NEIGHBOURS. WELLINGTON AIRPORT IS OPEN BUT SOME FLIGHTS MAY BE CANCELLED OR DELAYED. SO HUGE PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE IN THE CAPITAL TRYING TO GET HOME. REPORTER RYAN BOSWELL JOINS US LIVE FROM THE WELLINGTON RAILWAY STATION. It cause chaos in the quake hit this afternoon. Many people were so frightened they jump in the cars. The whole lower North island lines are closed are north of Otaki and masterton. That is causing big problems, because many people wanted to get home. They want to check on the families. It is proving very difficult. At this stage, it is unsure when they'll open. WELCOME BACK TO THIS ONE NEWS SPECIAL HERE'S A RECAP OF THE DETAILS OF OTDAY'S EARTHQUAKE. THE QUAKE HIT JUST AFTER 2.30 REPORTS OF IT BEING FELT AS FAR AWAY AS AUCKLAND AND DUNEDIN A 6.3 AFTERSHOCK STRUCK 15 MINUTES AGO NO TSUNAMI WARNING NO REPORTS OF INJURIES WIDESPREAD POWER CUTS REPORTER SIMON BRADWELL WAS IN OUR NEWSROOM WHEN IT STRUCK HE'S OUTSIDE THE BEEHIVE NOW THAT AFTERSHOCK YOU MENTIONED WAS FELT STRONGLY BY US ON THE GRUND QUITE ALARMING TO SEE EQUIPMENT AND HEDGES WAVING WE EVACUATED OUR NEWSROOM SMARTLY AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE IT WAS THE WISE THING TO DO THERE WAS A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN THE BUILDING EVERYONE ELSE IN THE BUILDING EVACUATED A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE OUT ON THE STREET IT WAS CHOCKER BLOCK TRAFFIC WAS AT A STANDSTILL SIRENS AS EMERGENCY VEHICLES TRIED TO GET THROUGH PEOPLE TRAPPED IN LIFTS PEOPLE WONDERNIG HOW THE HECK THEY GET HOME LUCKILY IT SEEMS EVERYONE IS OK A SENSE OF NORMALITY IS RETURNING BUSES ARE LESS FULL NOW AND TRAFFIC IS FLOWING BUT AFTERSHOCKS ARE CAUSING JITTERS RESIDENTS IN SEDDON, NEAR THE EPICENTRE, SAY AFTERSHOCKS ARE SHAKING THERE AS WELL THEY'RE NOT STOPPING I'M VERY SHAKEN NOW I HAVE A MIRROR IN MY LOUNGE THAT FELL OFF THE WALL I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE ELECTRIC JUG FELL DOWN A LOT MORE BROKEN SHELVES AND STUFF DVD CABINETS I'M JUST ABOUT DUE TO LEAVE HERE WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL DO IN SEDDON TONIGHT? GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE THE SHAKES CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE THERE NICOLA'S HOUSE WAS DESTROYED. OUR CONDOLENCES. WHAT HAPPENED? WE'RE JUST OUTSIDE, COS WE HAD AN AFTERSHOCK WE'RE IN AN 1874 COTTAGE BOTH ENDS OF THE HOUSE HAVE... THE CHIMNEYS HAVE FALLEN DOWN MY DAUGHTER WAS INSIDE SHE MANAGED TO GET OUT MY HUSBAND JUST SAID HE THINKS THE HOUSE IS TOTALLED THE WOOD PART IS STILL IN TACT THAT'S A BLESSING AND EVERYONE'S OK. WHERE WERE YOU WHEN IT STRUCK? AT MY NEIGHBOUR'S. WE WERE ALL SCATTERED AROUND THEO NLY PERSON INSIDE WAS MY DAUGHTER HAD SOME DAMAGE FROM THE FIRST SHAKE BUT THERE ARE BIG CRACKS IN THE WALL NOW LIKE A PAVLOVA OUT OF AN OVEN THAT HAS CRACKS THROUGH IT IT'S NOT LOOKING HEALTHY WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS NOW? WOOD PART IS OK, SO WE'RE OK IN THAT PART OF THE HOUSE BUT BIT NERVOUS GOING BACK INSIDE WE MAY GO TO NELSON FOR THE NIGHT WE'LL ASSESS IT LATER WHAT WAS THE MOTION LIKE? IT CAME FROM A NORTH-SOUTH SWING DIFFERENT ANGLE WE WERE TOTALLY... KNOCKED OFF OUR FEET YOU CAN'T STAND UP IN THOSE I WAS WORRIED I COULD SEE THE CHIMNEYS GOUING WE HAVE BIG OAKS AROUND OUR PLACE YOU COULD SEE THE MOVEMENT IN THEM THANKS, AND GOOD LUCK THE QUAKE HAS OVERLOADED CELLPHONE NETWORKS AND PEOPLE ARE BEING URGED TO USE TEXT WHERE POSSIBLE. EMERGENCY CALLS ARE STILL WORKING. THERE'VE BEEN MORE THAN A DOZEN STRONG AFTERSHOCKS MEASURING MORE THAN MAGNITUDE 4.4 POLICE SAY STILL NO REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OR INJURIES. TRAIN SERVICES ARE CURRENTLY SUSPENDED IN WELLINGTON. KIWI RAIL IS ASKING COMMUTERS TO MAKE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH BUSES FOR PEAK HOUR. Police are stopping traffic outSIDE Wellington rail station. LARGE TRAFFIC JAMS AS PEOPLE FLEE WELLINGTON WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL'S URGING PEOPLE TO STAY OFF THE ROADS TO KEEP THEM CLEAR FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES. SOME WELLINGTON BUILDINGS HAVE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE, WITH BROKEN WINDOWS BUT NO REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. RESIDENTS OF SEDDON WHO WANT TO LEAVE HOMES, ARE URGED TO GO TO SEDDON SCHOOL. Now widespread power outages around the Marlborough region STATE HIGHWAY 1 BETWEEN BLENHEIM AND KAIKOURA CLOSED. PEOPLE IN QUAKE AFFECTED AREAS ARE ASKED TO CHECK ON THEIR NEIGHBOURS. WELLINGTON AIRPORT IS OPEN BUT SOME FLIGHTS MAY BE CANCELLED OR DELAYED. A SHORT TIME WE SPOKE TO JIM RAWDON, WHO WAS ON BLENHEIM'S MAIN STREET WHEN THE QUAKE HIT. THE ROADS STARTED TO GO UP AND DOWN IN A VERY, SORT OF, WAVY SORT OF WAY. THE PLATE GLASS WINDOWS ` I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING QUITE LIKE THAT. THEY WERE FLEXING AND BUCKLING, AND I THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER DEGREE OR TWO STRONGER AND THEY WOULD HAVE POPPED OUT. SO IT WAS VERY VERY SCARY. THERE WERE A LOT OF DISTRESSED PEOPLE. PEOPLE LEAVING WORK EARLY, COMFORTING EACH OTHER. IT WAS` IT JUST COMES` EVERYONE WAS ON EDGE. HOW DOES THIS COMPARE WITH HOW YOU FELT IN THE PAST? IT'S WORSE. I'M SITTING OUTSIDE WITH THE KIDS. THEY'RE TOO WORRIED TO GO INSIDE THE HOUSE AGAIN. SO PEOPLE IN THE REGION OBVIOUSLY RATTLED. SOME ARE FLEEING WELLINGTON. HERE'S REACTION NOW FROM THE STREETS. THAT WAS REALLY SCARY. THAT WAS A BIG ONE, WASN'T IT? YEAH. WHEREABOUTS WERE YOU? WE WERE UP ON THE FOURTH FLOOR, ACTUALLY, IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERVIEW. OUR POOR INTERVIEWEE, AND WE JUST JUMPED UNDER THE DESK. SHE WAS CALMER THAN ALL OF US. YES. A BIG RATTLE. MOST PEOPLE IN YOUR OFFICE GOING HOME? YES, I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE HEADING HOME. NO. JUST WANNA GET HOME AND BE WITH MY KIDS, MAKE SURE THEY'RE OK. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD TO GO HOME AND NOT GO BACK INTO THE BUILDINGS. SO, YEAH. UNTIL WE'RE TOLD OTHERWISE. THEY'LL SEND OUT COMMUNICATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE ALLOWED IN. THE FIRE SERVICE WAS CALLED TO RESCUE MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE CAUGHT IN LIFTS. ONE MAN DESCRIBES HIS ORDEAL. BIT TERRIFIED. GET IN THE LIFT, AND HEADING DOWN, AND THEN IT, SO YOU COUNTER IT BY HANGING ON TO THE RAILS, AND YOU JUMPED OUT. YEAH. HOW FAR DO YOU THINK IT DROPPED? OH PROBABLY A COUPLE OF FEET. THE LIFT. GOING DOWN. WHAT'S YOUR HEART DOING NOW? STILL RACING? STILL GOING. IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, THE AIRPORT STOPS, DOES ITS CHECKS, THE TRAINS STOP AND DO THEIR CHECKS, JUST AS A PRECAUTIONARY THING. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, IT'S ALMOST AN EXPONENTIAL SITUATION. SO 6.5 ON THE RICHTER SCALE'S A HELL OF A LOT MORE DESTRUCTIVE THAN 6.2, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, THAT'S THE IMPACT AT THE EPICENTRE, AND DEPENDING HOW DEEP IT IS, HOW FAR AWAY THE EPICENTRE IS, IT'LL MANIFEST ITSELF IN DIFFERENT WAYS, SAY, IN OUR CITY HERE. IT HAS SHAKEN PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE. THE SHAKE CERTAINLY FELT STRONG IN WELLINGTON CITY, BUT ALSO UP IN WAIKANAE AND UP THE KAPITI TOO. VERY MINIMAL DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE REGION. THE QUAKE WAS ALSO FELT IN PALMERSTON NORTH, WHERE KATHY BATCHELOR IS THE MANAGER OF THE LOCAL NEW WORLD SUPERMARKET I JUST LEANT DOWN TO PICK SOMETHING UP AND STOOD UP, AND I ACTUALLY THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A DIZZY SPELL OR SOMETHING. JUST FELT LIKE I WAS NOT QUITE STABLE, AND THERE WAS DEFINITELY AN EARTHQUAKE. WE STRAIGHT AWAY HEADED FOR DOORWAYS AND UNDER DESKS, AND IT CONTINUED ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME. IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD ROLLING QUAKE. WHAT ABOUT DAMAGE? I THINK WE WERE PRETTY LUCKY. I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD ANY DAMAGE HERE AT THIS STAGE. HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO WHAT YOU'VE HAD IN RECENT TIMES, KATHY? I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS` PROBABLY LASTED FOR A BIT LONGER THAN THAT ONE. AND TO ME IT FELT LIKE IT ROLLED ON FOR` WAS A BIT MORE VIGOROUS WITH THE ROLLING MOTION AS WELL. SO QUITE SCARY, I THINK, FOR EVERYBODY. WE'RE JOINED NOW ON THE PHONE BY BILL FRY FROM GNS. ANNA KAISER FROM GNS GAVE ONE NEWS MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE SHAKES. SHE SAID IT APPEARS THIS EARTHQUAKE FOLLOWED A SIMILAR PATTERN TO THE LAST. YOU CAN SOMETIMES GET A CASE LIKE THIS, WHERE YOU HAVE ANOTHER EVENT THAT'S UP THERE, IN TERMS OF MAGNITUDE, CLOSE THE ORIGINAL ONE. IF THAT QUAKE ` OBVIOUSLY IT WAS A FAULT THAT WAS ORIENTED IN THE NORTHEAST ` SOUTH-WEST DIRECTION IN COOK STRAIT, SO IT WAS A SHALLOW FAULT AND HAD A STRIKE-SLIP MECHANISM, WHICH IS WHEN THE TWO SIDED OF THE FAULT SLIDE PAST EACH OTHER RATHER THAN MOVING UP OR DOWN. WE'VE HAD A QUICK LOOK AT THIS NEW QUAKE, AND IT'S GOT A SIMILAR TYPE OF MECHANISM, INDICATING IT'S OCCURRING ON A SIMILAR TYPE OF FAULT IN THAT REGION. WE DO EXPECT A NUMBER OF AFTERSHOCKS FROM THIS EVENT OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, LIKE WE HAD PREVIOUSLY WITH THE 6.5. SO PEOPLE SHOULD BE WARY OF THAT. THE QUAKE HAS OVERLOADED CELLPHONE NETWORKS AND PEOPLE ARE BEING URGED TO USE TEXT WHERE POSSIBLE. EMERGENCY CALLS STILL WORKING. MORE THAN 20 STRONG AFTERSHOCKS HAVE HIT CENTRAL NZ, MEASURING MORE THAN MAGNITUDE 4.4, THE STRONGEST BEING A 6.3 TREMOR WHICH STRUCK JUST AFTER 5.30. POLICE SAY STILL NO REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OR INJURIES. TRAIN SERVICES ARE CURRENTLY SUSPENDED IN WELLINGTON AND NOT EXPECTED TO RESUME UNTIL TOMORROW. KIWIRAIL IS ASKING COMMUTERS TO MAKE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH BUSES FOR PEAK HOUR. THERE ARE REPORTS THAT POLICE ARE STOPPING TRAFFIC OUTSIDE THE WELLINGTON RAIL STATION SO DRIVERS CAN PICK UP STRANDED PASSENGERS. THERE ARE LARGE TRAFFIC JAMS AS PEOPLE FLEE THE CAPITAL. WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL'S URGING PEOPLE TO STAY OFF THE ROADS SOME WELLINGTON BUILDINGS HAVE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE, WITH BROKEN WINDOWS BUT NO REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. RESIDENTS OF SEDDON WHO WANT TO LEAVE HOMES ARE URGED TO GO TO SEDDON SCHOOL. WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES IN THE MARLBOROUGH REGION, WHILE POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED IN WELLINGTON. CIVIL DEFENCE HAS ACTIVATED THE NATIONAL CRISIS MANAGEMENT CENTRE AT "LOW LEVEL" TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. S.H.1 BETWEEN BLENHEIM AND KAIKOURA CLOSED. PEOPLE IN QUAKE AFFECTED AREAS ARE ASKED TO CHECK ON THEIR NEIGHBOURS. WELLINGTON AIRPORT IS OPEN BUT SOME FLIGHTS MAY BE CANCELLED OR DELAYED. AND A RECAP NOW ON THOSE DETAILS ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON'S EARTHQUAKE. THE 6.6 EARTHQUAKE HIT JUST AFTER 2.30PM, AND THERE ARE REPORTS IT WAS FELT AS FAR AWAY AS AUCKLAND AND DUNEDIN. MORE THAN 25 STRONG AFTERSHOCKS HAVE BEEN FELT. THE STRONGEST BEING A MAGNITUDE 6 TREMOR WHICH STRUCK JUST 15 MINUTES AGO. TRAINS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED IN WELLINGTON FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT AND PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THE CITY. THERE'S BEEN NO TSUNAMI WARNING AND SO FAR NO REPORTS OF INJURIES. HOWEVER, ONE HOUSE HAS COLLAPSED IN SEDDON, AND THERE HAVE BEEN WIDESPREAD POWER CUTS IN MARLBOROUGH.