Three Gisborne teenagers died after a two-vehicle smash on one of the country's worst accident blackspots last night.

Police are investigating whether alcohol played a part in last night's two-vehicle crash on one of NZ's most notorious stretches of highway.

Christchurch residents just want the shaking to stop after Saturday's earthquake.

An Australian skydiving instructor with a fear of flying was one of those killed in one of NZ's worst aviation disasters in 17 years.

Three people are dead following a collision between a car and a ute in the Waikato tonight.

KiwiRail is sending almost 300,000 litres of water to Christchurch, where around 15% of people remain without it.

Christchurch was "inevitably going to be brought to its knees" by an earthquake because of the nature of the ground it stands on, a scientist says.

"It was like a giant had picked up our house and was just shaking it, shaking and shaking," said one resident.

They were partying, working, sleeping - then came 90 minutes of terror they will never forget. This is their story.

Organisers of the country's largest motorway closure are praying they have scared enough Aucklanders off the roads this weekend to avoid the city grinding to a halt.

The couple killed when a fleeing motorist ploughed into their car during a police pursuit last night have been named.

Police have been cleared of any wrongdoing over the death of a 22-year-old motorcyclist after a pursuit last year, the IPCA has found.

Two innocent people were killed after a car involved in a police chase ran a red light.

Two people are dead after a car smash involving a car being chased by police.

Two boys are in hospital with serious injuries after a police chase.

Jessica and Damon Ward today appealed for people to take five minutes to check all around their properties in case their "curious little boy" had got lost and taken shelter.