Quake cuts city services

A STRONG earthquake hit the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch, cutting power and phone services and sending some residents running into the streets just weeks after a more powerful quake caused extensive damage.

New Zealand’s geological agency GNS Science said the magnitude five quake was centred 9km south-west of the city and just 8km below the surface.

Reports said phone and power services to some parts of the city were down.