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.
Topics - Insurance premiums are expected to rise across the board, as insurance companies look to recoup some of the massive losses from the Canterbury earthquake. and what lasting effects might children suffer from the earthquake?
Christchurch's community law centre is expecting many cases to be lodged as people struggle to cope with the effects of the Canterbury earthquake.