New Zealand plans rescue of tourists stranded by earthquake

A rail line is covered by landslide near Conway in Kaikoura, New Zealand, after a powerful earthquake (SNPA/AP)

New Zealand is planning to send in military helicopters and a navy ship to rescue about 1,000 tourists and hundreds of residents who remain stranded in the coastal town of Kaikoura after a powerful earthquake cut off access.

The magnitude-7.8 quake struck the South Island just after midnight. It left two people dead and triggered a small tsunami. It also brought down rocks and mud that swept across highways and cracked apart roads.