[Anglican Communion News Service] Two people have been killed and many more injured following a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the New Zealand town of Kaikoura this week. Almost 2,000 after-shocks have been felt since the main quake, which struck at two minutes past midnight on Nov. 14 NZDT. Several church buildings have been affected. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 landslides since Monday is combining with heavy rain to worsen the effects of the initial quake.

The Anglican Taonga website reports that the church bell tower at Waiau, in the Diocese of Christchurch, has sheared off from the body of the church. And in Wellington, St. Paul’s Cathedral was evacuated over fears that a nearby building may collapse. The cathedral itself survived intact; but its pipe organ has been severely damaged with pipework thrown over the choir area.

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