Earthquakes
More should be done to keep shoppers safe in quakes - Countdown
A major supermarket chain which is taking action to stop heavy items falling from ceiling spaces in an earthquake says building regulations are being routinely ignored.
Countdown blame Govt for not keeping people safe in buildings
Countdown supermarkets is strengthening all its stores with proper seismic bracing of pipes, ducts and heavy units in its ceilings. And in doing so, can't resist taking a swipe at the Government and… Audio
Key Kaikōura road to reopen for long weekend
State Highway 1 south of Kaikōura is scheduled to reopen for all traffic on Friday, in time for the long weekend.
Alpine Fault drilling: 'What we encountered was really quite extreme'
Scientists drilling on the Alpine Fault in the West Coast have discovered some of the most extreme underground conditions on the planet. Audio
Building services 'below standard' - could be lethal in a quake
The Insurance Council is calling on local authorities and the Government to address the problem of below standard compliance with seismic rules. A Wellington structural engineer Ignatius Black of… Audio
Loose fittings slip through capital quake standards
Unrestrained heavy pipes, wires and air conditioning units that could be lethal in an earthquake are escaping proper scrutiny.
Kaikōura businesses 'within 6-8 weeks of collapse'
Some earthquake-affected businesses are very close to collapse, a new group set up to advocate for them says. Video, Audio
Capital quake deadline 'ridiculously short' - Body Corporate Chairs' Group
Wellington building owners are struggling to pay for earthquake strengthening in time to meet the council's deadline, they say.
Free curtains on offer in Waiau to warm quake-hit homes
Keeping out the cold in the badly quake-damaged North Canterbury town of Waiau has just become a little easier, with a pop-up curtain bank helping locals. Audio
Big quake would cost Wellington economy $25bn - report
Wellington's economy would be devastated if the capital was hit by a similar earthquake to the 2011 Canterbury quake, a new report says.
Engineer company shuts doors while facing unresolved complaint
A structural engineering company has shut its doors while facing both an unresolved complaint and a call for a review of its seismic assessments and other work.
Cruise ships coming back to Christchurch in 2019
The Lyttelton Port Company, owned by Christchurch City Council, will spend $56 million on a new berth for cruise ships, which haven't visited the garden city since the 2011 earthquake. Video, Audio
Govt tops up Kaikōura support fund by $1m
Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges has announced a new $1 million grant programme to help support businesses affected by the Kaikōura earthquake.
Taranaki Cathedral to acknowledge 'good, bad and ugly' past
The dean of New Zealand's oldest stone church hopes to use a multi-million-dollar restoration project to do more to acknowledge the darker side of its history. Video
Quake tsunami threshold changed after East Cape shake
The magnitude required to trigger an automatic tsunami alert has been lowered, Civil Defence has confirmed.
Kaikōura's seals on the mend after quake
Seal populations displaced from a coastal sanctuary by the Kaikōura earthquake are recovering, the Department of Conservation says.
Experts flocking to quake conference after Kaikoura shake
About 100 foreign experts have flown to Wellington for the annual New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering annual technical conference Video, Audio
7.1-magnitude quake strikes off coast of Chile
A strong 7.1-magnitude earthquake has struck off the west coast of Chile, but was not expected to cause a tsunami.
Wellington looking at high-tech earthquake solutions
The Wellington City Council wants to put accelerometers in commercial buildings to help it make quicker decisions about which areas are worst affected following an earthquake. Audio
Wellington Council eyes new quake-response tech
A new type of measuring device installed in buildings around the capital could help provide quicker safety information following a large earthquake.