Property developer Hugh Pavletich says more land around the fringes of Christchurch should be opened for building.

Twenty-three people have reportedly been evicted from quake-damaged council flats without warning.

Tracking today's events as they happen on day 11 of the Christchurch earthquake disaster.

Police doing post-quake patrols today came across a man mixing up chemicals to make methamphetamine.

Geotechnology engineers are assessing damage to Christchurch land and are expected to file their reports next week.

A man seriously injured when a chimney fell on him during the Canterbury earthquake has thanked his wife and "heroic neighbours" for saving his life.

Long diversions remain in place for heavy vehicles travelling on State Highway One south of Kaikoura, after a major slip on Friday night.

SH1 north of Christchurch remains closed following a major slip near Kaikoura on Friday night.

Consultancy Planit Associates says the Christchurch earthquake requires a rethink in the way development and urban growth are managed.

Hamish Keith is an arts and social commentator.

The Govt has won political support for emergency earthquake relief legislation that will bypass existing laws to speed up rebuilding in Canterbury.

Rain has worsened flooding on a Canterbury farm where a river has forked along an earthquake fault line, cutting through the property.

The Canterbury earthquake will be the most costly natural disaster NZ has faced, John Key said today as the Govt announced new measures to deal with rebuilding ruined homes.

The Government has announced details of legislation to be pushed through Parliament to help speed up the recovery process in quake-devastated Canterbury.

Christchurch's waterways have become contaminated with sewerage and wastewater due to infrastructure damage.

Several Christchurch hotels have slashed room rates in the wake of Christchurch's "horrendous" magnitude 7.1 quake, with one hotel chief saying everybody needed to "chip in".

View some of the most graphic images from a crisis that changed Cantabrians lives forever.

E. Coli has been found in water from Kaiapoi, reinforcing the need for residents to boil their water after last week's earthquake.

Fears of widespread earthquake damage to Canterbury's vital irrigation infrastructure have eased.

The Govt says it will not know how big its bill for the Canterbury earthquake will be until its Recovery Commission has drafted a recovery plan.

In a disaster, cats head for the hills, but dogs stick around, according to SPCA figures out today.

A looter is being held in custody after admitting breaking into a house damaged in the earthquake.