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Christchurch was hit on last Wednesday by the most damaging aftershock since a devastating 7.1 quake, forcing evacuations and cracking a major road tunnel in the New Zealand city.
The aftershock, the latest in a series, was a shallow six kilometres deep and much closer to the city centre than Saturday's quake, which caused billions of dollars of damage, seismologists said.
"It was a devastatingly, vicious sharp blow to the city," Bob Parker, the mayor of Christchurch said.
"This was a terrifying moment. We have just had to evacuate our civil defence headquarters."
A 1.9-kilometre (1.2-mile) tunnel linking Christchurch to the nearby port of Lyttleton was closed after cracking appeared, the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) said.
"There is some cracking that's apparent on the surface and there's apparently some damage to the canopy as well," NZTA spokesman Andy Knackstedt told national radio.
"We don't know what the extent of that is. They're in there right now making an assessment."
Mr Parker said the force of the latest convulsion meant there would "inevitably" be more damage to already weakened buildings, adding that the ongoing aftershocks were taking their toll on the city's residents.
"We have got staff in tears, we have got fire engines going through the middle of the city, power is out and a lot of people are very, very churned up by that."
Goods are scattered on the floor in a shop in Christchurch after falling from shelves in the earthquake
Historic Deans homestead which was destroyed in Christchurch
More than 100 aftershocks have rocked the area since Saturday.
Officials estimate up to 100,000 homes were damaged in Saturday's quake, which caused damage estimated at NZ$2 billion (£930 million) but killed no one
The aftershock, the latest in a series, was a shallow six kilometres deep and much closer to the city centre than Saturday's quake, which caused billions of dollars of damage, seismologists said.
"It was a devastatingly, vicious sharp blow to the city," Bob Parker, the mayor of Christchurch said.
"This was a terrifying moment. We have just had to evacuate our civil defence headquarters."
A 1.9-kilometre (1.2-mile) tunnel linking Christchurch to the nearby port of Lyttleton was closed after cracking appeared, the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) said.
"There is some cracking that's apparent on the surface and there's apparently some damage to the canopy as well," NZTA spokesman Andy Knackstedt told national radio.
"We don't know what the extent of that is. They're in there right now making an assessment."
Mr Parker said the force of the latest convulsion meant there would "inevitably" be more damage to already weakened buildings, adding that the ongoing aftershocks were taking their toll on the city's residents.
"We have got staff in tears, we have got fire engines going through the middle of the city, power is out and a lot of people are very, very churned up by that."
Goods are scattered on the floor in a shop in Christchurch after falling from shelves in the earthquake
Historic Deans homestead which was destroyed in Christchurch
More than 100 aftershocks have rocked the area since Saturday.
Officials estimate up to 100,000 homes were damaged in Saturday's quake, which caused damage estimated at NZ$2 billion (£930 million) but killed no one
