Temporary evacuations in Clifton Hill area

8:11 pm on 23 February 2011

Christchurch police say some houses have been temporarily evacuated in the Clifton Hill area near Sumner following a powerful earthquake on Tuesday.

Some cracks have been noticed in a hillside below houses on Kinsey Terrace.

Police say engineers will assess the hillside for stability and if the situation is deemed safe, people will be able to return to their homes later on Wednesday night.

Adventure sportsman Steve Gurney says there is much damage and collapsed cliffs in Sumner where he lives. He says he was fearful his home above Moncks Bay was going to slip away in the quake.

Mr Gurney says the Shag Rock and Cave Rock landmarks are damaged. There are big piles of rubble, some of it covering houses and he fears there may be casualties.