Thousands of Christchurch's 350,000 inhabitants have left in droves, flying, driving, even walking away, with no plans to return any time soon.

Emotion is fine but cool heads are needed for Christchurch's rebuilding, writes Chris Rattue.

Trapped in excruciating pain for hours while pinned under a concrete wall, Brian Coker wanted a "decent aftershock to finish it". Instead, the 52-year-old says his wife saved by alerting rescue teams to his plight.

Jayden Andrews-Howland, 14, was on a bus into town and has not been seen or heard of since last Tuesday's earthquake in Christchurch.

166 disaster victim identification (DVI) staff are working in shifts to formally identify victims of the 6.3-magnitude quake.

The co-owners of the health clinic flattened in the collapse of the CTV building were receiving counselling yesterday and expressed their sympathy for the families of missing staff.

Some Christchurch renters fleeing the shaken city are getting little charity from landlords, who are trying to keep them locked into contracts.

John Key indicated last night that Earthquake Commission levies could triple because of the damage caused by the Christchurch earthquake.

As Rob Cope-Williams looks at search and rescue workers picking through the crumbled mess of the CTV building, tears silently roll down his face.

Church services have been held across the country for those whose churches have been destroyed and to pray for victims of the Christchurch earthquake.

The death toll has increased to 147, and with more than 50 people unaccounted for, it will be higher than 200, police said tonight.

Authorities in Nelson are working hard to accommodate fleeing Christchurch residents.