When the tremors return, residents at one Christchurch rest home band together with cups of tea and company.

One of NZ's top Defence officials is under investigation after it was alleged he told "massive porkies" - including that he was an Olympian - and embellished his CV.

At least 22 commercial properties and 50 homes in the small quake-damaged North Canterbury town of Kaiapoi have been deemed unsafe, with its mayor admitting the town is changed forever.

Most schools in the quake-devastated Canterbury region are not likely to open until Monday, the Education Minister says.

The final bill for the Christchurch earthquake may reach $4 billion, almost double initial estimates, Treasury Secretary John Whitehead said afternoon.

Aftershocks are continuing to hit Canterbury with one measuring 4.1 the latest in a series today that also included a 5.1.

Mayor Bob Parker says Christchurch city is coping "amazingly well" with the continuing fall-out from Saturday morning's earthquake.

The state of emergency in Christchurch has been extended a further seven days following an aftershock of 5.1 on the Richter scale this morning.

An urgent care plan is needed to meet the needs of NZ's over 65 population which will rise by 84pc in the next 15 years, according to a review.

An open source online map has been set up to help Cantabrians find help nearest to them.

The political stakes have suddenly become very high as the enormity of the earthquake's impact becomes more and more apparent.

Stricken homeowners and workers will start receiving compensation and emergency payouts within days as Christchurch's earthquake bill threatens to exceed $2bn.

When Maurice Williamson is moved to label critics of the sale of farmland to Chinese buyers "racist", you have to accept he's not just joking around.