NZ: IFJ saddened by media deaths in quake disaster

SYDNEY: The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is saddened by  reports that media staff members are among those confirmed dead as a result of Tuesday's 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch, New  Zealand.

The offices of The Press newspaper and Canterbury Television (CTV) were some of the hardest hit by the quake, which struck New Zealand’s second largest city six months after a larger quake caused extensive damage to the region on September 4, 2010.

While no fatalities were recorded as a direct result of the September quake, authorities have confirmed 75 deaths in total from yesterday’s quake, with more than 300 people still unaccounted for.

At least seven people are reported dead and scores more missing in the CTV building, which was completely destroyed. It remains unclear how many of those killed or unaccounted for in the CTV building collapse are media staff.

Rescue crews have now been temporarily withdrawn from the CTV building to focus on other buildings in the city, where the hope of finding survivors is believed to be greater.

Fairfax Media, which owns The Press, confirmed that one staff member was killed when part of the newspaper’s office building collapsed, while several others were trapped overnight. Despite the tragic loss of  a colleague and widespread damage to the paper’s offices, The Press still went to print today.

“The IFJ extends its sincerest sympathy to our colleagues in the New Zealand media at his time of great difficulty and commends their efforts to continue to report despite the chaos and grief,” IFJ Asia-Pacific director Jacqueline Park said.

IFJ affiliate the New Zealand Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) reports that all members of their Christchurch-based staff are accounted for, with no serious injuries. - International Federation of Journalists/Pacific Media Watch

* For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919.  The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 125 countries. Find  the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific