New Zealand earthquake: How British backpacker survived It centred on Christchurch at about 12.50pm local time on Tuesday (22 February) and measured 6.3 on the Richter Scale. Seventy-five people are known to have died and so far more than 100 people have been pulled from the rubble. Rescuers are using their bare hands to pull them free. Rich, 18 and from Solihull, has been travelling around New Zealand on his gap year with three friends. He was in the city when the 'quake struck and told Newsbeat his story. "The building started to quake, the TV fell down flat, the glass smashed in the room. "As we got out we realised all the buildings around us had collapsed and people were walking around injured and crying and stuff." The hostel Rich was staying in wasn't totally destroyed, but the cathedral opposite was very badly damaged. "You can't really describe it. I didn't know what to do with myself. "We were in the middle of all these tall buildings and there were all the aftershocks coming. "We were told to get into an open space so everyone was safe. It was weird. "The building was shaking and we were struggling to stand up because it was so bad." People in the city say it looks like a war zone. Pictures from local TV stations show people being rescued from multi-story buildings by helicopter, and others being cut out of cars. "When we got out of the building I couldn't believe it," says Rich. "We kind of just stood there for a minute, kind of like, 'What has just happened, what do we do?' "Obviously we phoned parents because we knew they'd have heard and be worried about it. "My friend's passport is still in the hostel, so we can't leave the country till we get that sorted. "Some of their bags are still in there too. It looks like we'll be here for another week and a half before we go to Australia." . backpacker survived It centred on Christchurch at about 12.50pm local time on Tuesday (22 February) and measured 6.3 on the Richter Scale. Seventy-five people are known to have died and so. and so far more than 100 people have been pulled from the rubble. Rescuers are using their bare hands to pull them free. Rich, 18 and from Solihull, has been travelling around New Zealand on his. phoned parents because we knew they'd have heard and be worried about it. "My friend's passport is still in the hostel, so we can't leave the country till we get that sorted. "Some