Death toll rises to 50 in NZ mosque attacks

The death toll from the terror attack on two mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch has risen to 50 as one more victim was found at one of the shooting scenes, the police said on Sunday.

Investigators found the victim while removing bodies from the Al Noor mosque where more than 40 people were killed as a gunman stormed the mosque and went on a shooting rampage on Friday, Police Commissioner Mike Bush told a press conference.

Meanwhile, the number of the injured people from the terror attacks stood at 50, and 36 of them were still being treated in Christchurch Hospital, with two remaining in intensive care unit and one child at a children's hospital, Xinhua reported citing the police.

For the time being, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant was charged with murder. The terror suspect appeared briefly in the Christchurch District Court on Saturday.

The charging document showed the maximum penalty will be life imprisonment. He will be in custody until April 5, according to the High Court in Christchurch.

--IANS

pgh/