CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Rescuers(搜救人员) used their bare hands, dogs, and heavy machines Wednesday in an urgent search for survivors still trapped(被困住) in crumbled(崩塌的) buildings more than 24 hours after an earthquake devastated(摧毁) one of New Zealand's largest cities.
The confirmed(确定的) death toll(死亡人数) from Tuesday's magnitude-6.3 quake centered near Christchurch rose to 75, and officials said it was almost sure to climb further. Some 300 people were listed as missing.
Cheers broke out when an emergency team pulled a woman from the twisted metal and shattered(粉碎的) concrete(水泥) of one of the worst-hit buildings in Christchurch, while police announced they had lost all hope of finding survivors in another major wreckage(残骸，事故地).
Parts of the city of 350,000 people lay in ruins, and all corners of it were suffering cuts(短缺，隔绝) to water supplies, power and phones. The city was virtually shut down Wednesday, with officials urging residents to stay inside their homes.
Police announced a nighttime curfew(宵禁) in parts of Christchurch. Superintendent(负责人) Dave Cliff told reporters Wednesday that anyone found on the streets in a cordoned-off area of downtown after 6:30 p.m. local time would be arrested.
Prime Minister John Key declared a national state of emergency as hundreds of soldiers, police and other emergency workers — including specialist(专家) teams from the U.S. and other countries — rushed to Christchurch.
One of the city's tallest buildings, the 27-floor Hotel Grand Chancellor, was in imminent(即将发生的) danger of collapsing, with one corner having sunk lower in the ground and the facade(房子正面，外观) showing major buckling, Fire Service commander Mike Hall said.
Authorities emptied the building and evacuated(撤离，疏散) a two-block radius(半径), holding back residents with a police rope. Real estate salesman David Rankin, 50, stood gazing at the hotel where he said he was supposed to be having a lunch meeting.