CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- New Zealand police in quake-ravaged Christchurch said they fear up to 100 people may be trapped in the Canterbury TV building declared "unsurvivable."
If that estimate comes true, the death toll could far exceed the official toll of 75 so far in the city devastated by a 6.3-magnitude earthquake Tuesday, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Rescue work was stopped at the CTV building after it was found damage to the structure was too severe caused among other things by fires which burned overnight. No signs of life had been detected thus far by cameras or listening devices, the report said.
The Herald reported the city police district commander estimated between 80 to more than 100 people may be missing in the CTV building after rescue work was halted for safety reasons.
The head of the television channel was quoted as saying the station had about 25 full-time staff and it was working on the assumption that 15 of them who couldn't be contacted were still in the building.
The Herald report said in addition, a number of Japanese students from a foreign language school that operated in the building also were believed to be among those trapped.
Rescuers also were losing hope for those still trapped in the Pyne Gould Corp., although four people had earlier been pulled from the rubble.
Meanwhile, the 26-story Grand Chancellor Hotel was on the verge of collapse as it continued to tilt, the report said. It was feared the hotel could bring down nearby buildings if it toppled.
