Bermudians with family in New Zealand have struggled to get news of their loved ones after the latest earthquake, which has claimed the lives of at least 65 people.The quake, which measured 6.3 on the Richter Scale, struck downtown Christchurch at roughly 8pm Monday night, Bermuda time.Downed phone lines have limited communications from the Christchurch area.Bermudian Kristine Pereira said her 21-year-old sister Deirdre Hetzel, a University of Canterbury student who lives in the area hit by the quake, has been able to send her a text saying that she was all right.“The only thing I’ve heard from her so far was a text saying she was OK and not to use the phone lines. Facebook was a blessing; everyone was on it, and I thought it was heart wrenching to see all the requests for people to contact others down there and find out if they’re OK.”Ms Pereira said her sister lives in Rolleston, a short drive outside Christchurch. A former resident of Christchurch, Ms Pereira said: “I feel so hopeless and numb, being so far away.”She said she had visited last year, following a milder earthquake in September.“It was pleasing to see all the relief effort and cleanup, but there were still orange warning stickers on houses and cracks in the ground. The cathedral was still there, but a lot of it’s crumbled in this quake.”Ms Pereira, who has worked in reinsurance since her return to Bermuda, described Christchurch as “a beautiful city with old historical buildings a lot of that will have changed now.”Carla Pedro, whose aunt Jill Marshman lives in Auckland, also has family in Christchurch: Mrs Marshman’s son, Bermuda-born Neil Marshman, plus his wife Catrina and their daughter Hollie, who turns seven on Thursday.Ms Pedro said her aunt had passed on news that none were hurt in the quake.“Their house got some cracks, and some of their things were broken, but the house is holding firm. They just finished cleaning up from the last earthquake. Now they’re helping the neighbours clean up. Apparently they have no water but they’ve got power.”Again, communications were limited to electronic messaging.“They seem to be OK they’re coping, but shook up. It’s been very shocking to the whole family.”Aftershocks have continued to affect the area, and Ms Pedro said her Christchurch family “may move up to Auckland for a while”.She said: “It’s amazing, all these things that keep happening round the world.”See overseas news story on Page 11lUseful web links: www.nzherald.co.nz; tvnz.co.nz.