The earthquake that struck Canterbury may be the fifth-most expensive ever for insurers, according to risk management projections.

It can be hard to keep perspective when an incident as devastating as the Christchurch earthquake occurs.

The states of emergency put in place after the Canterbury earthquake were this morning extended until midday Thursday.

The Government has taken on sweeping powers to rebuild Christchurch after the earthquake.

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

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.

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

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

Aftershocks rattling Canterbury are likely to last for "weeks" rather than days but will get less frequent and probably weaker.

The Christchurch Mayor has warned the rest of NZ that they are not immune from the type of natural disaster that struck his city this week.

Some 1200 Canterbury school children will not be able to return to their schools for weeks.

Residents of earthquake-ravaged Kaiapoi say they are sick of being treated like a freak-show.

Welfare centres set up after last Saturday's earthquake in Christchurch are starting to focus on helping people return home.

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

The first round of quake-affected businesses signed up to the Government's wage assistance package will see money in the bank tomorrow.

Four Canterbury All Blacks, including captain Richie McCaw, have been enlisted for a campaign to help quake victims.

Water restrictions have been lifted for Christchurch and Banks Peninsula but some Waimakariri residents must still boil their water and their river is contaminated.

When the tremors return, residents at one Christchurch rest home band together with cups of tea and company.

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.