A joint report by the Chief Ombudsman and the Privacy Commission is scathing of how EQC has dragged its feet over information requests from quake homeowners.

An EQC customer satisfaction survey has been cleared of deliberately excluding thousands of unhappy claimants after an independent review.

A Christchurch couple are not entitled to a "windfall payment" over their red zoned house, according to a judgement released today.

Problems highlighted by the Auditor-General in the way EQC dealt with homeowners affected by the Canterbury earthquakes have already been dealt with, the Government says.

More than 4000 claims have poured into the Earthquake Commission following the central New Zealand earthquakes back in July, and damage assessment will begin today.

The severe earthquake which rocked NZ this afternoon sent workers in Wellington running into the streets as the ground shook and buildings swayed from side to side.

Marlborough and Wellington residents tell their stories of today's earthquake and its aftermath.

A shallow 4.2 magnitude earthquake has been detected near East Cape, after a strong aftershock near Wellington this morning.

Residents have cleared out of a central Wellington street while urgent work is carried out on a quake-damaged carpark lift which could come crashing down in an aftershock.

More than 1000 claims have been lodged with the Earthquake Commission following the swarm of quakes centred off the Seddon coast.

The email mistakes that embarrassed the Earthquake Commission and ACC are having ramifications for the public's right to access information from the state.

Live music in hastily-built venues has helped shaken Cantabrians beat the post-quake blues, a university researcher says.

Insurance payouts are moving at a sluggish rate in Christchurch, and it will be at least 2015 before major companies have processed all claims.

It is hoped a newly-announced review of the Earthquake Commission will draw on the lessons learned following the Canterbury Earthquakes.