CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from attacks on two mosques of New Zealand's Christchurch rose to 49 and 48 others were wounded, New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference in Wellington, Bush said a man has been charged with murder and will appear in court on Saturday. Three others were apprehended.

A number of fire arms were recovered from the two mosques, Bush added.

New Zealand's state-owned television network TVZ, citing Bush, reported that one of the attacks which happened at a mosque called Masjid Al Noor, took 41 lives. An attack at a mosque in a different part of the city killed seven people. One person died later in a hospital.

According to local media, at least two gunmen opened fire at two separate mosques in Christchurch on Friday.

Two explosive devices attached to cars have also been decommissioned by police.

The national security level in New Zealand has been raised from low to high.

"It is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist attack," New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a press conference in Wellington, adding that the attack appeared to have been "well-planned."

Earlier, Ardern, while speaking to public, said "This is one of New Zealand's darkest days. My thoughts are with Christchurch."

"It is an unprecedented violence in New Zealand. There is no place for such extreme violence in New Zealand."