By Jessica Rowe
It's a lovely, sunny day in Christchurch, but the usually busy streets are abandoned as the cordon remains in place for the city centre.
There is extensive damage to hundreds of buildings which will take months and billions of dollars to fix following Saturday's 7.1 earthquake.
The army moved into Christchurch this morning to take the load off police.
Eighty personnel from Burnham Military Camp arrived in Christchurch this morning to relieve police who have been working around the clock, patrolling the devastated streets and buildings following the quake.
"It happens that my men have been called in to do this job and support of police, and we are more than happy to contribute in our local area and assisting people get through this difficult time," says Maj Craig Wilson.
It is thought 100,000 homes and about 90 inner city buildings have been badly damaged.
Officials have extended the state of emergency until Wednesday, while locals have been getting on with the job of cleaning up and clearing out the houses and properties.
Many residents now think their houses will have to be demolished.
Schools remains closed and engineers are still assessing the damage to buildings. Workers have been told to stay at home until they know their workplaces are safe.
Last night police arrested a man among concerns about looting.
The worst is not over - while Canterbury was spared from wild weather expected last night, there is still concern about the Waimakariri River as stop banks have been damaged.
Officials are watching river levels as more rain is forecast later today, both in the mountains and in Canterbury.
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