New Zealand quake shakes 30 million tons of ice from glacier

The earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand and killed at least 65 people, also caused some 30 million tons of ice to break off from New Zealand's biggest glacier.

Tour guides at the Tasman Glacier in the Southern Alps say the quake caused the ice to “calve” from the glacier, forming icebergs in the terminal lake.

Tourists on Glacier Explorer boats said the icefall caused waves up to 12ft high which swept up and down the lake for 30 minutes.

The glacier is about 120 miles from Christchurch on the west coast.

Meanwhile in Christchurch, more than 100 people, including a dozen visiting Japanese students, were thought to be trapped in the rubble as darkness and drizzling rain fell on the city.

More as we get it.