UPDATED 9.09PM:Â Christchurch has been shaken emotionally and physically by a magnitude 5.7 earthquake this afternoon.
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Harrowing stories of near-misses are being reported but the city has emerged from the quake with no deaths and little damage.
Two children from Taylors Mistake, on the city's southeastern extremity, were clipped by rocks that fell on a cliff face, while three people were in a cave at the site and a couple enjoying a Valentine's Day picnic ran for their lives, media reported.
The quake struck at 1.13pm and was 30 kilometres deep. A magnitude 3.9 quake followed about five minutes later, and then a 2.8. Aftershocks are continuing.
The Fire Service said there have been no emergency line calls for structural damage, although shelves have fallen in homes, shops and libraries.
Riccarton Mall, Northlands Mall, Ballantynes and Colombo Mall have been evacuated.
Some fire alarms have been activated.
St John ambulance said there was a sharp increase in calls during the quake but they were mostly related to minor injuries from falls as people were running.
The service initially activated its Emergency Operations Centre in the city, but call numbers have now returned to normal.
Power is back up and running for Christchurch residents who lost their electricity earlier today.
Around 500 people were knocked off the grid immediately after the quake, mostly in northeast Christchurch and Piper Valley on Banks Peninsula.
City Council closes parks and properties
Christchurch City Council has closed a number of properties and parks following the quake.
AMI Stadium will remain closed until further notice and an engineer will be on site tomorrow morning to make an inspection.
Cafes in the Botanic Gardens have also been closed and will be checked tomorrow.
Council rangers have closed walking tracks in Lyttelton - Bridle Path and Rapaki tracks and Summit road between Rapaki gate and Mt Cavendish.
Rockfall is evident in these areas and will be inspected in detail tomorrow.
There has been substantial cliff collapse at Whitewash Head overlooking Taylors Mistake in the residential red zone.
A large amount of material has also come off Godley Head and Peacocks Gallop.
Sumner residents 'terrified' by cliff collapse
Sumner residents have described their terror the moment the 5.7 earthquake struck Christchurch.
Cliffs that have been unstable since the original sequence of earthquakes five years ago collapsed in the shaking, but there are no reports of injuries or damage.
Stall holders at a pop up market on Sumner's waterfront say the area emptied out immediately.
Dust cloud after cliff fall in Sumner 5.9 earthquake just now! pic.twitter.com/Lzn78e5RIO
— Rob Simcic (@RobSimcic) February 14, 2016
Wow a 5.7 - caught it at Taylors Mistake #nzquake pic.twitter.com/4TNofSTxgE
— Thomas Wieberneit (@twieberneit) February 14, 2016
Sumner not looking good #eqnz pic.twitter.com/FC8Zmt93LQ
— Steve Knutson (@nztechtweet) February 14, 2016
Cracking at the Waimak mouth after the #eqnz .. Fishermen left in a hurry!
— Mike Thorpe (@MikeThorpeTVNZ) February 14, 2016
Photo: A Bold. pic.twitter.com/f9HIJilDLB
'Sporadic' liquefaction across Pines Beach
There's sporadic liquefaction from today's quake across Pines Beach.
Reporter Charlie Greenhalgh said she can see small puddles of it.
She's spoken to several Pines Beach residents.
"People have liquefaction in their gardens - visited a resident who's got liquefaction on the side of their house but they've also got damp patches under their house as well, due to liquefaction."
Oh liquefaction I thought I had seen the last of you! #eqnz pic.twitter.com/36E8kpP5Iv
— Rachael Burrows (@Rach_Burrows) February 14, 2016
Shake rattles Women's Golf Open
Newstalk ZB reporter Guy Heveldt was waiting for Lydia Ko to tee off at the Women's Golf Open at Clearwater.
He said the ground gave an almighty shake - and he heard the glass rattling like mad in windows in houses across a nearby lake.
Guy Heveldt said while people are evidently shaken, he hasn't seen anyone rush from the course.
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Women's Golf Open continues despite big earthquake. Caused balls to move so rule book checked Go @LydiaKo #eqnz #ActOfNature #Clearwater
— Niki Schuck (@NikiSSchuck) February 14, 2016
An Air New Zealand flight from Auckland due to land in Christchurch airport at 2.13pm was cancelled, though Air New Zealand has yet to confirm whether flights were affected by the quake.
A spokesman for Jetstar said none of the company’s flights was affected.
Christchurch Airport has confirmed runways have been checked and there is no damage to tarmac.
Flights are running as per schedule.
The quake has struck just a week before the fifth anniversary of the big February 22 shake.
A few bottles lost to that quake pic.twitter.com/behPPJDZjk
— Charlotte Lewis-West (@clewiswest) February 14, 2016
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