Just spoken to my son in Wellington. He knows somebody who is trapped: an American guy who stayed a couple of days (along with his partner) with them last week.
Apparently this was, like the last one, not on the major fault, although it is a known one this time. He says the real danger now is from the aftershocks. It seems that Christchurch was still experiencing them from the September quake, and buildings are so weak. Apparently there is a massive chunk of a glacier that has fallen as well.

He also says that as a GIS officer for the council, he might be brought down to Christchurch to help co-ordinate the plans (mapping type stuff) for the work ahead. Unfortunately they are down to only 4 people in his office, so they will have to make sure they don't leave Wellington without enough support, should something similar happen there. The civil defence bunker was cracked in the last quake, so that probably isn't in use, so he's not sure what is going on yet. He's quite prepared to go, but says he may yet not be sent.

I hope that everybody is accounted for here.

Andrea