The official death toll for the Christchurch earthquake has risen to 145 this evening and is expected to increase. Police are gravely concerned for more than 200 missing people.

More than 600 patients have been admitted to Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department since the earthquake, including 164 with serious injuries.

Christchurch couple Hamish and Jess McBrearty have welcomed baby Joseph -almost two weeks overdue - into the world.

"Entire blocks" of the Christchurch CBD will need to be demolished in the wake of the earthquake, Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says.

The death toll from the Christchurch earthquake now stands at 123 and is expected to rise further today, police say.

Key stories on day five of the Christchurch earthquake.

The woman who rang her son to say goodbye as she lay trapped in the PGC building for 24 hours has spoken about her ordeal.

Families of 27 Japanese students thought to be buried beneath the flattened CTV building are praying for a miracle.

Weekend Herald writer Phil Taylor takes to his bike to view the devastation in Christchurch.

Ann Bodkin kept up hope during her 26 hours entombed in the PGC building by thinking over and over 'I'm alive. I'm okay'.

'I was having a hot dog in the Square, felt the rumble, looked around, and the cathedral just come down.'

As Emma Woods dashed to her son's school in central Christchurch, she was terrified at the thought of losing a second child in nine months.

The doctors who amputated a man's legs to save him from almost certain death worked in the dark.

Looking at what remains of the six-storey building I can't believe my eyes as the first survivor is pulled out.

It's obvious that mere amateurism will not help our second-largest city up on its feet this time.