Central Business District in Christchurch Closed

The centre of Christchurch bounded by the four one-way streets - Barbadoes, St Asaph, Kilmore and Montreal has been closed off - to keep rubberneckers, the occasional looter and others out. You are free to leave, of course - with a quick hurry along by the boys and girls in blue. Some arrests have been made.

A boil water advisory has been issued. Start digging a latrine in the back garden...

Historic Empire Hotel in Lyttelton is about to collapse.

No trains are running in the South Island today while Kiwi Rail checks all tracks & bridges.

Good news - the Radio New Zealand Sound Archive appears intact, according to one of the staff. Historians will be pleased. Not so good for some of the heritage buildings and a lot of shaken up people who will take some time to get back to normal.