New Zealand Struck by 6.3 Earthquake

Around 1pm yesterday downtown Christchurch, New Zealand was struck by a 6.3 earthquake that has devastated the city. Reports indicate that 75 have died with many more injured. Rescue operations continue to find people trapped in buildings.

The earthquake "toppled buildings onto buses, buckled streets, forced the collapse of a cathedral spire and cut power for most of the city." The city also experienced 33 aftershocks with range of magnitudes of 4 to 6. Condolences to all those that lost family and friends.

To swing this tragedy back to The Hobbit (seems crash but it is focus of this blog), The Hollywood Reporter says that production has not been impacted by the quake. The reason is simply due to location, as "The Hobbit is being made in Wellington, situated on the North Island of NZ, while Christchurch is on the South Island, a seven-hour ferry ride and drive from Wellington, or less than an hour by air."