Three earthquakes have struck Wellington this week - one measuring 4.7 - but a seismologist says they are not linked the Christchurch quakes.

The search of the Pyne Gould building in Christchurch's CBD is over but work on the CTV, Cathedral and Forsyth Barr buildings is continuing.

Police have officially released the names of seven more people who died in the February 22 Christchurch earthquake. The death toll now stands at 163.

Half of Christchurch's heritage buildings are in danger of demolition after assessments showing they have severe earthquake damage.

Search and rescue crews found two more bodies overnight, lifting the death toll from the February 22 Christchurch earthquake to 163.

With the rescue phase over in Christchurch's central city, authorities are working to restore vital services to the eastern suburbs.

Jeff Sanft was on his way to meet his partner and two young daughters for lunch when the bus he was on was buried under falling debris.

Timaru has grown by 20 per cent as 7000 traumatised quake survivors shift down.

Bert and Pat Archbold are in their 90s, nearly blind and without water or power, but they are refusing to leave their Christchurch home.

Thousands of Christchurch schoolchildren have fled the quake-stricken city and are now attending schools across the country.

After 218 hours and nine minutes of desperate searching, hope of finding any survivors among the rubble of downtown Christchurch was officially extinguished.

Surrounded by her children in the garage of their Hampshire St home in the Christchurch suburb of Aranui, Mafutaga Manuleleua still feels unloved.

Searchers are close to entering the collapsed spire of Christchurch Cathedral, where up to 22 people are believed to have been killed during last week's 6.3-magnitude earthquake in Christchurch.

The thoughts of everyone should be with the families of the Christchurch earthquake victims following the change in the search focus today to recovering bodies, says an emotional mayor, Bob Parker.

John Key says a national memorial service will allow all NZers to mourn, with details of the service to be announced early next week.

Bus driver Andrew Craig helped all the passengers off his bus, crushed by debris from a fallen building, before he got out himself, mourners at his funeral were told today.

A search for survivors has now become a grim effort to recover dead bodies from the rubble of Christchurch city centre.

The Government's budget in May will show the cost of the Christchurch earthquake, Prime Minister John Key says.