• US Warship USS Sampson will bypass Auckland for Kaikoura to help out with the earthquake recovery.
• Aftershocks continue to shake the North Canterbury region, including magnitude 5.4 and 5.8 quakes tonight.
• Wellington highways are reopening after a morning of slips and flooding that brought the quake-hit region to a standstill. State Highway 1 has opened.
• Power is back on in the Awatere Valley and most of Seddon. But a few isolated properties in Seddon are still without power, as well as all of Tachalls Road, and parts of Blenheim and Renwick.
• The New Zealand Defence Force helicopters airlifted 103 people from Kaikoura today as more than 860 aftershocks hit the region. SH7 may remain closed until the weekend.
• Prime Minister John Key has told the Herald that he believes the Government had "sharpened up" its response to earthquakes.
• The Chinese Government chartered a helicopter to get Chinese nationals out of Kaikoura.
• It will be a couple of days' work to get the inland road to Kaikoura open to one lane. The coastal road is "a more challenging prospect".
• Some buildings are still being assessed and areas, particularly around Featherston St, are still cordoned off.
• Parliament sat at 2pm and PM John Key opened the day's business with a statement on the impact of the earthquake and the government's plans to repair the widespread damage it caused.
• 600 people stayed at a marae in Kaikoura last night. HMNZS Canterbury is on its way from Auckland to also help evacuate 1100 stranded tourists. It is expected to start this job first light tomorrow.
• Kaikoura is severely damaged with problems around communications, roads, water and sewage. Last night the Marlborough District Council said there was three days' water left.
• For yesterday's Live Blog click here.
• Power is intermittent, fuel supplies are limited and Kaikoura's hospital is at capacity.
• There have been up to 100,000 landslides, and a number of dams have now formed.
• Yesterday morning's devastating 7.5 quake claimed the lives of at least two people. Thousands of others miraculously escaped injury.
• Follow us live all day through the blog above and listen to our live coverage on Newstalk ZB
Read more:
• What you need to know about quake and tsunami warning and should do
• Evacuation centres
• Tsunami hits east coast, Waiau feared worst hit
• Wellington shaken awake