No Vietnamese at quake zone in New Zealand

Cracks on a street in New Zealand caused by an earthquake on November 14. (Source: AP/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on November 16 released a list of foreign tourists evacuated from the most affected area by recent earthquakes, with no Vietnamese reported.

The list of foreigners evacuated from Kaikoura on the eastern shore of New Zealand’s South Island includes more than 100 tourists from 19 countries, mostly Australians, British, Germans, Americans and Swedish.

All of them were transported by helicopters and ships of the New Zealand Navy to Woodend, another town in the central region of the country.

On November 15, more than 400 people were evacuated from Kaikoura and the New Zealand’s defence force planned to use helicopters to transport 200 others to Christchurch in the night of November 16.

It is estimated that between 600 and 700 tourists who wish to leave Kaikoura, a small town with a population of 2,000.

By the afternoon of November 16 (local time), more than 1,600 aftershocks occurred in New Zealand after strong earthquakes of up to 7.8 magnitudes on the dawn of November 14.

Rescue work and activities to overcome quake consequences in Kaikoura, continues with assistance from the US defence force. The US naval ships carrying relief are expected to arrive in the South Island on November 17.-VNA