Updated: Bishop of Christchurch, the Rt Revd Victoria Matthews speaks to Radio New Zealand about the quake here.
The BBC carried an interview with the Very Rev. Peter Beck. From the Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS):
The Dean of Christchurch Cathedral, the Very Revd Peter Beck, has said he is fearful that people may have been in the Cathedral’s tower when it collapsed after an earthquake struck the city.
Speaking to the BBC’s 5 Live Radio programme he said that he had himself been in the cathedral office when the quake struck, but was able to escape and get others out of the Cathedral. However, he warned that others could still be trapped inside.
“We were in the cathedral when this happened,” he said, “in the office and fortunately that wasn’t too badly damaged, but the tower has collapsed and some of the walls have collapsed and we’re pretty fearful there may be some people underneath that.”
Listen to the interview and see video here.
New York Times reports here.
The bishops and standing Committee of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand ask for prayers. From Anglican Communion News Service:
The Archbishops and Standing Committee of the General Synod/te Hinota Whanui of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia were meeting in Rotorua when we had news of the latest Christchurch earthquake.
We are receiving reports of multiple fatalities, many casualties, extensive damage, evacuation and major trauma to thousands of people.
We are aware that the spire of the Anglican Cathedral has collapsed.
We, along with so many other people in this country, immediately turned to prayer for all those who are so seriously affected.
We have also contacted our wider Anglican Communion around the world and asked them to pray with us.
We reach out in this prayer to the people of the city of Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region, asking the God of all the earth to give everyone the strength and endurance that they need to survive and to recover.
We pray also for all those who are involved now so dramatically in civil defence activities, hospital services and community organization as people begin to try and process what has happened and to work out the way ahead.
We pray for our Prime Minister, our Government, the Mayor and City Council of Christchurch as they respond to this tragedy.
We also, along with New Zealanders throughout the land, pledge ourselves, in whatever way is useful to come to the assistance of this stricken city.
May God guide and guard us all.
Archbishops David Moxon, Brown Turei and Winston Halapua, and the Standing Committee of General Synod/te Hinota Whanui.
February 22, 2011