Latest from Natural Disasters
Relief provisions for farmers to continue
Drought relief provisions for farmers will continue until the end of September, the Government said.
Drought could cost West Coast millions
The worst drought in 40 years could cost the West Coast tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue, a leading West Coast farmer warns.
Tsunami sirens of limited benefit
Tsunami warning sirens that sounded across Auckland in a test-run at the weekend are not favoured by our national emergency agency.
Tsunami warning: Waiting on siren sound may cause deadly delay
Every time Steve Morris takes his two young daughters to the local beach, signs of tsunami danger surround him.
Tsunami warning: Auckland facing multiple menace
As one of the world's most tsunami-threatened countries, New Zealand faces the triple menace of distant-source tsunami, regional tsunami and local-source tsunami.
Victory for Chch couple
Insurance giant Tower must pay out a Christchurch couple for a like-for-like replacement on another site, after their home was damaged in the earthquakes.
Shaky Isles are also moving isles
New Zealand is moving by 4cm a year, new satellite surveys have revealed, as tectonic forces deform the land surface by stretching, slimming and sliding it southward.
Are we ready for the big one?
As they did on the afternoon of March 17, tens of thousands of Aucklanders take to Facebook and Twitter to express their amazement that their seemingly quake-free city has had a rumble.
Clamour for survival kits after earthquake
Panicked Aucklanders have been snapping up emergency kits in the wake of last Sunday's earthquakes.
Two shakes, maybe more to come
Aucklanders have been reassured that a big earthquake is highly unlikely, although a geologist says the rare pair that struck yesterday might be a sign of more to come.
Red-zone insurance battle expected to wrap up
A closely-watched insurance battle is expected to wrap up at the High Court in Christchurch today.
Solomons reeling in wake of double disaster
More than 6400 people in the remote Santa Cruz Islands in Temotu Province, 500km east of Honiara in the Solomon Islands, are coming to terms with devastation and loss wrought by the double disaster of an earthquake and tsunami last month.
Red zone squatters a fire risk
Damaged chimneys and homeless people are likely to lead to more abandoned red zone properties going up in flames this winter, firefighters fear.
Plan a massive over reaction to quakes: super-safe landlord
When Queen St's Imperial Laneway got its $15 million makeover a couple of years ago, owners poured $4 million into seismic strengthening.
Presbytery in danger
The 1888 Gothic revival presbytery beside St Patrick's Catholic Cathedral in Auckland CBD is an earthquake-prone building.
NZ buildings on course for change
Our building stock could look radically different in the next few years as owners and architects introduce new seismic elements, an expert says.
Shearer outlines his plans for Chch rebuild
Cantabrians would be helped into driving post-earthquake recovery if Labour returned to Government, party leader David Shearer vowed today.
Quake case 'impossible to resolve'
Challenging a $337,000 payout to repair a Christchurch home by lodging a $900,000 claim means the case will be "impossible to resolve", a court heard today.
Shock in store for building owners
The Government is proposing building owners strengthen earthquake-prone buildings within the next 15 years so that by 2028, we will be much safer if another major quake strikes.
Multibillion-dollar surprise for proprietors of heritage sites: lawyers
Some of New Zealand's historic buildings are about to be hit by a multibillion-dollar bombshell, as the Government forces their strengthening, experts claim.