Kelvin Berryman explains how the tectonic plate boundary creates faults and earthquakes in New Zealand. Video / GNS

A double-pronged aid effort is getting up a head of steam in Tuvalu this week, as more than 300 New Zealand Defence Force staff descend on the tiny nation north of Fiji and nearly 4000km from New Zealand.

The accused is alleged to have sent emails to tourist operators warning of an imminent tsunami.

A strong earthquake shakes vans back and forth in Osaka, Western Japan. Source - @NewsKali

A mudslide has destroyed about a dozen buildings in the fruit-growing region of southern British Columbia.

Whakatane District Council has an estimated $3.2 million clean-up bill following last week's flood that left more than 110 houses uninhabitable.