A severe earthquake centered near Waipukurau rocked the North Island today and was felt as far north as Hamilton and as far south as Marlborough.

Firefighters, police officers, Urban Search and Rescue experts, and courageous passersby risked life and limb to drag several survivors from the CTV Building.

A moderate earthquake that rattled a swathe of Southern California forced several dozen people in one community out of their homes.

Christchurch has been shaken by a shallow magnitude 4.0 earthquake this morning.

Derelict buildings are scary. I know this from experience.

Students at University of Canterbury have a new concept to test quake-resistance with a machine that will simulate over 100 earthquakes. The results will produce data that is able to help build quake-proof buildings.

Seismologists will be asking many questions about the magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck Los Angeles this week, a sharp jolt that reverberated across densely populated southern California.

Work has begun on some of NZ's most historic school buildings as the Govt scrambles to work out by next month which are at high risk in an earthquake.

A team of international scientists are to help find ways to better protect some of New Zealand's historic and heritage buildings against earthquakes.

Owners of damaged and unrepairable Canterbury homes are increasingly selling them on an "as is, where is" basis, a new property report says.

Thousands of signatures and messages of support pledged by the people of Christchurch after the devastating 2011 earthquakes have been digitally preserved.

The initial trauma may be over but experts say earthquake-weary Christchurch residents will endure at least six years of "man-made" stressors as the region battles bureaucracy.

A shallow earthquake jolted Southland residents from sleep today.

'It will be nice to have an apology.' Police are to compensate pensioner John Bennett for the way he was roughed up by armed officers in his own home two years ago.

Hundreds of quake damage claims have been lodged as a result of the severe magnitude 6.2 tremor that damaged homes.

Hundreds of quake damage claims have been lodged as a result of the severe magnitude 6.2 tremor that damaged homes and cut power.

Damage claims from yesterday's 6.2 quake are starting to be lodged with EQC, as more than 300 aftershocks hit the lower North Island - and a couple of biggies are expected.

Updated map with data from geonet.org.nz showing the 6.2 earthquake and the following aftershocks for the lower North Island of New Zealand.

Yesterday's 6.2 magnitude earthquake caused an agricultural chemical spill on a Palmerston North farm, resulting in one man being sent to hospital.

Scientists expect quake activity in Wairarapa for weeks after yesterday's 6.2 shake.

A "severe'' 6.2 quake that hit the lower North Island today has toppled walls and chimneys and sent rockfalls across roads, with a building in Masterton red-stickered due to damage.

Donovan Cowley sent nzherald.co.nz this reaction on camera of his daughter Cameryn to today's 6.2 earthquake, she was filming herself when the earth started shaking. Also before Race 11 in the Manawatu, the earthquake is captured in the moments leading up to the start of the race.