Students among quake victims

At least one Japanese exchange student was trapped and another 11 still missing after the Christchurch earthquake collapsed their language school around them.

A group of 23 students and teachers from Toyama College of Foreign Languages was eating when the quake struck, severely damaging the school where they were studying in Christchurch.

One of the teachers had earlier emailed her family in Japan using her mobile phone that she was trapped in the building with some of the students.

The two teachers and nine of the students were rescued from the twisted building, while one other student was still stuck inside as night fell. Some of the rescued had broken bones and serious injuries, and the remaining 11 students were still unaccounted for.

Most of the students were 19, but two were in their 60s, including one who was rescued and badly injured.

Hisao Yoshida, head of the Toyama College of Foreign Languages, said the group was eating lunch at the King’s Education school when the quake hit.

The students arrived last week and were to stay in the country to study English for a month.