- What we know so far
- A 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit near Hanmer Springs in the north of South Island, New Zealand at 12.02am.
- Two people are confirmed dead.
- Several main roads and rail lines have been badly damaged and are impassable.
- Thousands of people were evacuated to high ground after a tsunami warning was issued. The warnings were lifted, but people remain advised to stay away from waterways due to strong waves and currents.
- Kaikoura, a town of about 2,000 people, in the South Island, has been almost completely isolated with roads closed and phone lines down. There is a state of emergency in place for the town.
- One thousand tourists will be airlifted out over the coming days, and a frigate is also en route to evacuate people. It could be two weeks until the roads reopen.
- John Key, the prime minister, toured the affected area and said the damage, which could cost the nation $2bn, was “horrendous”.
- There are severe weather warnings for the northern parts of South Island, which could hamper the response effort.
- The Clarence river dam has been breached, sending a wall of water downstream and threatening farms.
- Scientists think the quake might have actually been two quakes in separate faults.
- A strong 6.8-magnitude aftershock hit near Cheviot in the South Island.
- A 100-year-old woman has been pulled alive from the rubble of a collapsed homestead.
- Residents have been advised to boil drinking water in the town of Raglan after water supplies were affected by the quake.
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