The death toll from a powerful earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand's second biggest city, has risen to 98, police say.
Rescuers are continuing to search through the rubble for survivors in the aftermath of Tuesday's magnitude 6.3 earthquake.
Police were notified that 98 people were killed and that 226 people were still missing, a superintendent told reporters on Thursday.
Prime Minister John Key earlier said that there were fears that the death toll could rise substantially.
MOSCOW, February 24 (RIA Novosti)
