Insurers report a surge in inquiries prompted by homeowners' fears they may not be properly covered if a Christchurch-style earthquake hits.

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

Christchurch schoolchildren have swapped stories of their "holidays" on their first day back from the earthquake.

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.

A Christchurch man and woman caught on CCTV walking away from the scene of a shooting have turned themselves in. Photo / NZPA

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".

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

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.

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

The Governor-General has expressed his shock over the devastation after last Saturday's 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Canterbury.

Most Canterbury schools today reopened after the September 4 magnitude 7.1 earthquake, but aftershocks continue.

Would you be in a position to pay your employees if a natural disaster occurred in your region?

As if the poor people of Christchurch hadn't suffered enough, they were inundated with Auckland celebrity journos last week all eager to leave the studio swivel chair and report live from ground zero.

Gerry Brownlee is having to deal with his own badly damaged house as he works on the Govt's earthquake reconstruction plan.

Dozens of people buying and selling homes in Christchurch face delays as buyers fail to finalise sales, forcing sellers to default on contracts.

Christchurch earthquake-shelter residents say they have had to deal with gangs, drug searches and theft as they enter their second week displaced from their homes.

Weary Canterbury farmers picking themselves up from days of earthquakes and aftershocks face new threats.