The Red Cross says the number of people needing help for trauma is climbing as they discover they will lose their homes following Saturday's earthquake.
The organisation has volunteers at welfare centres and says many children are showing signs of trauma.
Canterbury area manager Carol Ball told Nine to Noon that some people are coming into the centres for reassurance after the aftershocks in the region.
She said some are also finding their homes cannot be saved as building inspectors make their way into the suburbs.
Ms Ball said Government agencies and people trained to deal with trauma are available at the welfare centres.
People worried and frightened
Earlier, the agency said one of the big concerns in Canterbury is the mental effects of the quake and its aftermath.
The Red Cross has deployed a number of teams to assist people who have been evacuated from their homes and those who are alone, or have medical problems.
National programmes manager David Neal told Morning Report that they are finding some very worried and frightened people.
Welfare centre damaged
A welfare centre set up to help displaced people has been damaged by the overnight quakes.
Burnside High School is now closed and all the people who were sheltering there have been moved to the Addington racecourse.
About 300 people took advantage of the welfare centres on Monday night.
While many are there because their homes are damaged, others simply did not want to be in their homes during the aftershocks.
