Christchurch hotel 'may collapse'

One the tallest buildings in Christchurch, The Grand Chancellor hotel, is expected to collapse.

The building which is about 20 storeys high, was fully evacuated when the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the city on New Zealand South Island at lunchtime on Tuesday.

A police spokesman, Grant Ogilvie, said there was a high degree of concern about the building which was leaning heavily to the left.

"It's looking more and more precarious," he said.