hope slowly fades

 photo: copyright - RP

with the christchurch earthquake death count currently at 75 & due to escalate considerably today as search teams transition from rescue to recovery mode, the start of the release of identified bodies names with permission from their respective families begins. prime minister john keys has announced that it is the public interest in order to understand the scale of this disaster the names of the dead must be shared.

according to the person finder tool by google, 8800 records have been tracked thus far.

but still people all over the world especially those directly connected to the estimated 300 missing cling to hope beyond hope that the rubble will yield life. despite technology, sniffer dogs & estimates that the wreckage is unsurvivable. i'm still firmly holding out for a miracle. stranger things have happened.

photo: copyright nine news

text messages came out of the CTV building long after it collapsed. there were people alive in there. whether they survived smoke asphyxiation or eventually succumbed to shock, injuries and have lost consciousness or access to oxygen only time will tell. but it is certainly of the essence. i firmly believe that there is life in there.

it has been heartbreaking to watch & the sense of overpowering helplessness to watch the abandonment of the search of the CTV at certain stages over the last 24 hours. i don't want to criticize the decision because we're all aware of the risks involved but if it was my loved one in there - i'd be picking up rocks until my fingers bled off. and probably be in jail right now. like we've already seen to one impassioned standerby come rescuer.

UPDATE FEB 24 12:52NZT:

glimmer of hope after alleged contact within CTV!!!!!!

UPDATE: FEB 24 13:51 NZST: 
police say 238 people are missing & up to 120 are trapped in the rubble of the CTV.

UPDATE FEB 24 13:11 NZST:
queensland urban search & rescue team's team have detected scratching sounds amongst the rubble with their audio devices.