A Chinese businessman has donated $100,000 to the Christchurch earthquake appeal after reading about the numerous Chinese people killed or missing.

The date for a National Memorial Service to honor victims of the Christchurch earthquake has been named. The service, which will be held in North Hagley Park, is being organised by the Christchurch City Council and the Visits and Ceremonial

Missing people are still being reported nearly two weeks after the Christchurch earthquake, police say.

A man who helped others cross the Port Hills after the earthquake before being hit by falling boulders was remembered today at a service attended by hundreds.

Structural engineers should work with conservation architects and architectural historians to ensure that no quake-damaged heritage buildings in Christchurch are demolished in haste, a heritage campaigner says.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the focus on heritage buildings after the devastating earthquake in Christchurch is 'unacceptable' at a time when thousands of residents' lives have been disrupted.

The national state of emergency imposed after last month's devastating earthquake will be extended today and is likely to be in place for some time, Prime Minister John Key says.

Specially trained staff from Fonterra have joined the recovery effort in Christchurch city centre.

Police have today released 15 further names of victims from last month's Christchurch earthquake. The toll from the deadly 6.3 quake that hit on February 22 is currently 166.

Devastation revealed during a police escorted tour of earthquake-damaged landmarks in Christchurch.

The Christchurch earthquake will knock gross domestic product growth back by 1.5 percentage points this year, but Treasury predicts a silver lining with 2012 bringing a sizeable boost to residential, commercial and infrastructure investment

Residents allowed into parts of Christchurch's central business district cordon today are being warned not to enter yellow-stickered buildings.

Recovery efforts at the Canterbury TV building have officially ended, with no further positive identifications. Usar workers have sifted through every piece of debris and are satisfied nothing more can be done, the Fire Service says.

People in Christchurch's neglected eastern suburbs tell us what they most need after the earthquake.