The Government responded to Canterbury's plight by putting through Parliament emergency legislation to give special powers to the Earthquake Recovery Minister to deal with the effects of the quake.
A photograph of a portaloo on the side of Gayhurst Road near St Paul's Church.
A photograph of a group of shops on Manchester Street with cordon tape draped in front.
A photograph of broken masonry on the footpath in front of the Cranmer Courts, behind a cordon fence.
A photograph of USAR codes spray-painted on the front windows of Peaches and Cream on Manchester Street.
A photograph of USAR codes spray painted on the window of the Cashel Liquor Centre on Cashel Street.
A photograph looking over Victoria Square from inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel, towards the Port Hills.
A photograph of St Elmo Courts on the corner of Montreal and Hereford Streets. There are large cracks between the windows.
A photograph of St Elmo Courts on the corner of Montreal and Hereford Streets. There are large cracks between the windows.
A photograph of USAR codes spray-painted on the front windows of Peaches and Cream on Manchester Street.
A photograph of displaced bricks in one of the walls of St Paul's School on Gayhurst Road.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the entrance of a property on Glenarm Street. The pavement has been churned up by the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to R&R Sport on the corner of Colombo and Tuam Streets. Most of the side wall has crumbled, exposing the wooden structure beneath.
A photograph of steel bracing keeping up a section of the ceiling on the ground floor of the Crowne Plaza. The column to the left is damaged.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to a building on the corner of Manchester Street and Struthers Lane. The front wall of the building has crumbled, exposing the rooms inside. One is covered in graffiti.
A photograph of rubble from a block of demolished shops on the corner of Cranford and Westminster Streets. Wire fencing and road cones have been placed around the rubble as a cordon.
A photograph of rubble from a block of demolished shops on the corner of Cranford and Westminster Streets. Wire fencing and road cones have been placed around the rubble as a cordon.
A photograph of an earthquake damaged building on Armagh Street with a tarpaulin draped over the roof. In the distance, a pile of bricks have been laid on the road in front of the Cranmer Centre.
A photograph of rubble outside Mod's Hair on Victoria Street. Earthquake damage can also be seen inside the building with bricks on the floor and hair products fallen off the shelves.
A photograph of a building on Lichfield Street near Poplar Lane. The facade on the top storey of the building crumbled during the earthquake to reveal the walls underneath.
A photograph of packaged mattresses in Cowles Stadium on Pages Road. The stadium was set up by Civil Defence as temporary accommodation for citizens displaced by the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of the date stone in the Cranmer Centre indicating the date the building was built (1880). Below, a stack of bricks can be seen in the garden.
A photograph of members of the Wellington Emergency Management Office lining up outside a Maggi van which is distributing out soup. The van is parked outside Cowles Stadium on Pages Road, which was set up by Civil Defence as temporary accommodation for those displaced by the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of an excavator on the side of a road in Canterbury. This stretch of road is near the Greendale fault line which caused the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of cracking in the footpath along Gayhurst Road. The pavement is sinking inwards, and a road cone has been placed on top to warn people.
A photograph of a building on Lichfield Street near Poplar Lane. The facade on the top storey of the building crumbled during the earthquake to reveal the walls underneath.
A photograph of members of Civil Defence working at the Christchurch Art Gallery. The Art Gallery was set up as the temporary headquarters for Civil Defence after the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of members of Civil Defence working at the Christchurch Art Gallery. The Art Gallery was set up as the temporary headquarters for Civil Defence after the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of plastic bags around a chimney of a house in Christchurch. The top of the chimney has broken during the earthquake and made a hole in the roof.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the entrance of a property on Glenarm Street. The pavement has been churned up by the 4 September 2010 earthquake.