Owners of Christchurch historic buildings will be able to fight demolition rulings that their earthquake-damaged properties are dangerous and insanitary.

EQC-trained building inspector Peter Wei examined four homes in Auckland to see what improvements could make them safer in a natural disaster.

Once notorious, now fashionable, reports Ashley Campbell.

The mayor of Christchurch says developers built on land that could turn into 'murky soup' after an earthquake, despite opposition from the council.

Global re-insurance companies will probably take the bulk of losses for claims from the Christchurch earthquake not covered by EQC, says Moody's.

New home owners are finding themselves in limbo as insurers refuse to write any new policies for Christchurch's shaken homes.

Researchers explain why Canterbury escaped with no loss of life and little damage compared with the devastation in Haiti.

At least 22 commercial properties and 50 homes in the small quake-damaged North Canterbury town of Kaiapoi have been deemed unsafe, with its mayor admitting the town is changed forever.

Most schools in the quake-devastated Canterbury region are not likely to open until Monday, the Education Minister says.

The final bill for the Christchurch earthquake may reach $4 billion, almost double initial estimates, Treasury Secretary John Whitehead said afternoon.

Aftershocks are continuing to hit Canterbury with one measuring 4.1 the latest in a series today that also included a 5.1.

Mayor Bob Parker says Christchurch city is coping "amazingly well" with the continuing fall-out from Saturday morning's earthquake.

The Government has set aside $2.4 million for trauma counselling for Christchurch earthquake victims, Paula Bennett says.

The state of emergency in Christchurch has been extended a further seven days following an aftershock of 5.1 on the Richter scale this morning.

Re-building Canterbury after the earthquake will happen, but it may happen quickly, says Fletcher Building chief executive Jonathan Ling.

An open source online map has been set up to help Cantabrians find help nearest to them.

Stricken homeowners and workers will start receiving compensation and emergency payouts within days as Christchurch's earthquake bill threatens to exceed $2bn.