The official death toll from last week's 6.3 New Zealand earthquake has reached 160 -- but authorities estimate the number of victims may be closer to 240. 

More than one week after the Feb. 22 quake devastated Christchurch, family members visited the collapsed buildings where the bodies of their loved ones remained trapped.

"The mood was somber and it was very emotional for them," police superintendent Dave Cliff said Wednesday.

No one has been pulled alive from the rubble since 26 hours after the quake. 

Meanwhile, authorities have asked the families waiting for news on the fate of missing relatives to be patient since some remains can only be identified through dental records or DNA testing.

"There may be some cases where, because of the enormous forces involved in this, that it may not be possible to retrieve bodies in all cases," Cliff told reporters.