A contractor has smashed through a major underground cable in Christchurch, leaving the southern suburbs on back-up power and nearly killing himself twice in the process.

Police today released the names of six more people who died in Christchurch's February 22, magnitude 6.3 earthquake, while Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced 110 schools in the region will have reopened by next week.

Vulnerable Christchurch residents are anxiously awaiting information on whether their neighbourhood may need to be abandoned.

Blogger Peter Hyde says there are now three cities within earthquake-hit Christchurch, and one of them - where many people live - is being neglected by the media.

The latest James Cameron film dives into new territory, both underwater and underground. Russell Baillie talks to director Alister Grierson

Wouldn't it be nice to know that your kids can swim? Even being able to dog paddle would do, because drowning often takes only a few seconds.

Police searching for a missing Roxburgh man have found a body in the Clutha River.

A 52-year-old man who drowned at Muriwai Beach west of Auckland last night paid the ultimate price for not heeding the warning signs at the notoriously dangerous swimming spot.

Grave fears are held for a man believed to have fallen into the Clutha River in central Otago this afternoon.

Flooding is continuing in the Samoan capital today, after heavy rainfall from the threat of Cyclone Wilma in the past week.

NZers denied funding after being caught up in the devastating Queensland floods are to be granted a special Govt payout. Many Kiwis had complained of being ineligible for an Australian govt disaster payout due to a 2001 law change.

A large body of water gradually moving towards the northwest Victorian city of Swan Hill has threatened small communities in its path.

One of the two men plucked from rough surf last night would have survived only minutes longer, says the firefighter who mounted the speedy jetski rescue on the Bay of Plenty coast last night.

DOC staff have killed 10 pilot whales which survived the stranding of a pod of 24 in Parengarenga harbour in the Far North.