Dust, debris and devastation: The earthquake in pictures

It struck in the night, arriving with enough energy to power Christchurch for an entire year.

Immediately, news began trickling through of death and destruction.

But it was with daylight the full impact of the 7.5 magnitude quake, and the hundreds of aftershocks that followed, became clear.

Our journalists were there to capture it, from the cracked and collapsed roads, to the massive slips that have buried large sections of state highways, and the damaged homes.

Chimneys fell, furniture was toppled and, in some cases, whole sides of houses were ripped away.

In Wellington, piles of glass lay shattered on city streets, and stunned residents and visitors huddled outside under blankets in the darkness.

Mother Nature didn't distinguish between home and work - huge logs were rolled out of storage and kitchens emptied by the earthquake's power.