By 3news.co.nz staff
If you have a story to tell, or some pictures you'd like to share, email them to noles@tv3.co.nz. If you'd like to get earthquake updates by email, click here to subscribe.
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8:44pm Magnitude 3.4 aftershock centred 10km southwest of Christchurch.
8:36pm Magnitude 4.3 aftershock centred 20km southeset of Parangahau
8:18pm Prisoner evacuations are continuing in Christchurch. Watch video of the transfer here
7:30pm John Campbell reports a small aftershock while on air.
4:31pm There has been a magnitude 5.3 earthquake 10km south-east of Poranghau in the Hawke's Bay. It struck at 4.18pm and it is possible that minor damage has been caused.
4:05pm Earthquake-affected farmers and their families are gathering at the quake's epicentre in Darfield this afternoon.
Residents will be briefed on the latest support that's available to them from Government, insurers and the community. (RadioLIVE)
World Cup tickets
3:47pm Some Rugby World Cup tickets for matches in Christchurch will be held back to allow Cantabrian rugby fans time to focus on recovering from Saturday’s earthquake.
“We acknowledge that people have much on their plate at the moment so we have decided to make a special allocation of tickets for Christchurch matches which will be made at a later date," Rugby New Zealand 2011 chairman Jock Hobbs said.
3:39pm One of the last Canterbury motorways still closed is due to reopen tomorrow evening, says the The NZ Transport Agency.
State Highway 74 has been closed while workers repair foundation damage.
The highway is a key route into Lyttelton Port.
Special needs school robbed
3:03pm A Christchurch special needs school has been broken into over night, with thousands of dollars worth of equipment stolen.
Ferndale Board of Trustee member Jacki Morris told the NZ Herald that the equipment was “high-end” and described the theft as a “kick in the guts”.
Ms Morris says many of the 40 students could not understand the quake and why they had to miss school.
2:56pm The annual Undie 500 run by Canterbury University’s engineering school has been cancelled this year.
Organisers say the event would be inappropriate given the impact of the weekend’s quake.
All Black support
2:43pm All Black Richie McCaw and three other players are the new faces of a quake trauma campaign, which will encourage Christchurch residents distressed by the quake to seek help.
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says victims shouldn’t be embarrassed to seek help.
No change to local elections
2:37pm Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has dispelled rumours the Canterbury local body elections next month would be delayed.
1:57pm The $10 a tonne waste levy on Canterbury landfills has been lifted as the Government felt it inappropriate for profit to be made off the weekend’s quake, Environment Minister Nick Smith announced this afternoon.
“An earthquake of this scale is such an exceptional event that the levy would only add unnecessary cost to Canterbury’s clean up,” he says.
Kaiapoi damage
1:36pm Around one quarter of the homes in Kaiapoi have been deemed ‘unsafe’, with residents forced to abandon their properties.
Ninety-seven properties have been ‘red stickered’ while the most of the remaining houses are under some form of restricted access.
"Our initial assessments have only been to ensure the health and safety of residents in their homes," David Ayers, Waimakariri Civil Defence controller, told news websites.
Some residents will be allowed to return later to collect possessions, but some houses are considered too unsafe even for that.
1:13pm The State of Emergency in Waimakariri has been extended until lunchtime next Wednesday.
Waimakariri Civil Defence controller Bruce Thompson says the district suffered additional damage from recent aftershocks.
1:10pm Belfast, Kendal and Mairehau schools will join five other Canterbury schools opening its doors to staff and students tomorrow.
Kaiapoi High School - closest to Saturday's quake epicentre - has also signalled to the Ministry of Education it will open tomorrow. (RadioLIVE)
Elections deferred?
12:16pm The upcoming local body elections in Canterbury could be postponed following Saturday's devastating earthquake.
Newstalk ZB reports the Dept of Internal Affairs has contacted local councils saying a deferral is possible.
An announcement is expected to be made this afternoon.
Meanwhile, the public is being asked to avoid Riccarton Rd in Christchurch due to concerns over the stability of two buildings.
Cordons have been put in place at a number of intersections along Riccarton Rd and traffic congestion is growing so motorists are advised to find alternative routes.
One of the commercial buildings causing concern is at the intersection of Riccarton Rd, Straven Rd and Clarence Rd. This building has to be demolished. The second commercial building is on Riccarton Road close to the intersection of Rotherham St and is likely to have to have its facade removed.
Cordons are likely to be in place for most of the afternoon. Further advisories will be issued once the cordons are lifted.
River contamination
11:45am Water services have been returned to much of Christchurch, but Environment Canterbury are warning that the lower parts of the Waimakariri River have been contaminated as a result.
Some waste has temporarily been diverted to the river to avoid overflowing the Christchurch sewage system and contaminating the water supply.
Christchurch residents are being asked to avoid contact with the river water.
11:36am Deputy Police Commissioner Rob Pope has blogged on the recent police work in the aftermath of the Christchurch quake.
Mr Pope says is has been a juggling act to maintain normal police work as well as respond to the quake.
Port damage
11:00am Large rips through the concrete dock at Lyttelton Port could see the operation face a $50 million post-earthquake repair bill.
Transport Minister Stephen Joyce visited the port this morning to survey the damage.
The port is fully insured, and Mr Joyce says it's important it remains operational. (RadioLIVE)
Much-needed rest
9:16am Motel owners in Timaru and Kaikoura say they have been flooded with guests keen to escape the frequent aftershocks in Christchurch and get some rest.
9:07am Southbridge School has reopened today and is believed to be the first school in Christchurch to fully open since the quake.
The school's board of trustees chairman Andrew Lambie says the school’s sewage and water systems were left relatively unscathed. (RadioLIVE)
8:57am Bus services in Christchurch have resumed today, however the central city Bus Exchange remains closed.
Officials will make a decision come lunchtime.
8am RWC organisers say the quake won't stop them bringing the tournament to Canterbury.
And power company Orion is planning to restore electricity to the remaining 200 customers without power by nightfall tomorrow.
Meanwhile, The NZ Herald reports Auckland's Sky Tower would have survived a quake the size of the one in Canterbury without damage. An 8.0 would damage it, and a 9.0 would likely bring it down.
Job losses
7:40am Around 100 staff at Kaiapoi New World have been told they no longer have jobs, as the supermarket needs to be demolished.
6:50am Earthquake-shaken Cantabrians are seeing the first signs of life returning to normal this morning as water supplies are given the all clear.
Christchurch residents are being told they no longer have to boil water to avoid illness from tainted waterways.
The Canterbury Medical Officer of Health last night lifted restrictions on tap water, following three days of clear tests from more than 500 samples across the region.
Michal Aitken, the Christchurch Civil Defence Controller, says clean water is an important milestone in the earthquake recovery. (RadioLIVE)
Courts
Meanwhile, Christchurch District Court manager Murray Smith says it is nearly back to business as usual, despite sending jurors home this week.
The court has cancelled at least four jury trials, so far, because of the difficult circumstances many jurors are facing at home.
But Mr Smith says the court buildings have withstood the force of this week's quakes just fine.
He says the arrest courts haven't been as busy as usual this week. (RadioLIVE)
6:40am There have been a few aftershocks this morning, but none so powerful as yesterday morning's 5.1.
The first was at 2:49am, measuring 4.5 south of Darfield; the next, 3:13am, 3.7, just southeast of Christchurch – where yesterday's 5.1 occurred; 3:44am, 3.5, southeast of Darfield; and 6:14am, 4.2, 10km south of Darfield.
4am See photos from behind the cordon in Christchurch by 3 News editor Alexia Eteveneaux.
St John's Ambulance has boosted emergency staff in Christchurch to help cope with the busy workflow following yesterday’s aftershocks.
Thirty-four trauma counsellors from across the country have been dispatched to Christchurch, and more will be on their way in time.
Canterbury District Health Board is also bringing in extra staff including six health protection officers and six medical officers of health.
And 20 ACC call-centre staff will be flown down to help support the Earthquake Commission.
Bringing Christchurch back up from the rubble will cost around $4 billion, according to head of Treasury John Whitehead.
3 News
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If you have a story to tell, or some pictures you'd like to share, email them to noles@tv3.co.nz. If you'd like to get earthquake updates by email, click here to subscribe.