Mickey Arthur recalls 'scary' earthquake in New Zealand

Pakistan head coach says players were frightened to go to their rooms

CHRISTCHURCH: Pakistan cricket coach Mickey Arthur on Monday (November 14) recalled the "scary" moment in the team hotel in New Zealand when an earthquake struck the day before and killed two.

The 7.8-magnitude tremor struck just after midnight on Sunday, destroying farm homesteads, sending glass and masonry toppling from buildings in the capital, Wellington, and cutting road and rail links throughout the northeast of the ruggedly beautiful South Island.

The town of Kaikoura, a popular base for whale-watching about 150 km (90 miles) northeast of Christchurch, the South Island's main city, was completely cut off by massive landslips.

The Pakistan cricket team are currently on a two-match tour of the country, and were at a hotel in Nelson, about 400 km (250 miles) north of Christchurch, when the quake struck, according to local media.

"It was about midnight and everything just started shaking. We were on the sixth and seventh floor of the hotel there. Yeah, it was, it was pretty scary," Arthur told reporters at Christchurch airport on Monday.

He added: "Boys all raced downstairs and most of the guys actually slept downstairs in the team room last night, they were too scared to go back up to their rooms."

Pakistan are facing the Black Caps in Christchurch on Thursday (November 17) before travelling to Hamilton a week later for a clash on Friday (November 25).

Meanwhile, former New Zealand rugby union captain Richie McCaw, a qualified commercial helicopter pilot, has offered his services to assist with rescues, local media reported.

Rugby World Cup winner McCaw, who represented the All Blacks a record 148 times, has been flying rescue missions in the area, New Zealand media reported.