It was one of many emotional scenes at the domestic terminal of Auckland Airport as loved ones were reunited

A message from the Pope was read out at a special service to pray for safety in the days ahead.

Rescuers were last night coming under fire for pulling out of attempts to get to people trapped in the CTV building. The search was abandoned yesterday after police said they were "100 per cent sure" there were no survivors.

At least 14 were still trapped and facing a second cold and lonely night in the mangled PGG building.

Their task is to enter highly restricted and prohibited areas, putting their lives on the line to save others.

Cancer survivor Sam Struthers says that victory was nothing compared with surviving this week's earthquake.

Hope is fading for hundreds of people missing for a second night after the Christchurch earthquake.

Prime Minister John Key yesterday saw for himself the grim situation confronting earthquake survivors.

It's only when you start walking the streets of Lyttelton that the real extent of the damage becomes obvious.

We assembled outside, a bit dazed and struck by what we could see downtown - dust and collapsed buildings.

Jovy Servitillo knew she was in trouble - she was on the 23rd floor of the tallest building in Christchurch.

'Ten seconds either way' was the difference between life and death for CTV building survivor David Horsley.

At least one Australian "family man" is among the Christchurch earthquake dead and the Australian government has warned the public to brace for more bad news.

Yesterday's quake - the death toll for which stands at 75 - may prove to be NZ's worst natural disaster.

Police say more than 100 people may have been lost in Christchurch's quake-ravaged Canterbury TV building, which they say is "unsurvivable". The official toll from yesterday's devastating quake stands at 75.

Fifteen CTV staff are believed to have died when their central Christchurch building collapsed after yesterday's magnitude 6.3 quake, CTV chairman Nick Smith says.