• Aftershocks have rumbled through the night and into this morning. There have been more than 860 since the 7.5 Kaikoura earthquake, GeoNet says.

• Heavy rain warning for Wellington with 50-60mm forecast for this morning and gale-force winds in exposed parts of the capital. Three key roads have been closed in the region by flooding, disrupting commuters

• Civil Defence groups have sent people into Kaikoura to help with the response and Government agencies were supporting Civil Defence groups.

• 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 oepn to one lane. The coastal road is "a more challenging prospect".

• In Wellington, people are being told to use commonsense when in the central city today.

• Some buildings are still being assessed and areas, particularly around Featherston St, are still cordoned off.

• Parliament will sit as usual at 2pm and PM John Key is likely to open 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.

• Rail passenger services are expected to return to normal in the Wellington region today following yesterday's large quakes - see more details in the live blog below.

• 600 people stayed at a marae in Kaikoura. 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.

• Power is intermittent, fuel supplies are limited and Kaikoura's hospital is at capacity.

• There have been many landslides, and a number of dams have now formed.

• St John kept its National Crisis Coordination Centre operating overnight in Auckland. It says patients are being moved out of Kaikoura as needed.

• Yesterday morning's devastating 7.5 quake claimed the lives of at least two people. Thousands of others miraculously escaped injury.

 

UPDATED 8.33AM Aftershocks have continued to rumble through the night, regularly jolting people whose nerves remain on edge following yesterday's deadly magnitude 7.5 earthquake.

LISTEN ABOVE: GeoNet seismologist, John Ristu, and MetService lead forecaster, Micky Malibuk, speak with Rachel Smalley

Kaikoura locals especially are being warned by Civil Defence to stay prepared for further rattles.

The latest updates give a grim picture.

SEE ALSO: Deadly quake: Aftershocks continuing across the country

Kaikoura is severely damaged with problems around communications, roads, water and sewage.

Last night the Marlborough District Council said there was three days of water left, and 600 people staying at a local marae.

Power is intermittent, fuel supplies are limited and Kaikoura's hospital is at capacity.

It's thought there are up to 100,000 landslides, including a number of dams that have now formed.

This is the fault rupture zone near Waiau, North Canterbury. #eqnz pic.twitter.com/bGX7o2vbKd

— Tonkin+Taylor (@TonkinTaylor) November 14, 2016

Four Defence Force helicopters have been sent there to move both people and supplies.

Ten Civil Defence emergency staff and ten Police staff have also been sent to the town.

The Red Cross is already in the area, along with Urban Search and Rescue teams.

MORNING UPDATE || We are is sending four @NZAirForce NH90 & A109 helicopters to help evacuate those who are stranded in quake-hit Kaikoura. pic.twitter.com/B0E1VDv4w8

— NZ Defence Force (@NZDefenceForce) November 14, 2016

HMNZS Canterbury is being sent from Auckland and will start evacuating people from Kaikoura at first light tomorrow.

Commanding Officer Simon Rooke says 120 personnel are on board, with capacity for more.

"First thing we're going to do is get down there as quickly as we can, and there's approximately 500 stranded tourists that are isolated due to the road slips.

"We're going to pick them up by landing craft or speed boats and extract them, then transport them to Lyttelton so they can get to a point of safety."

St John has kept its National Crisis Coordination Centre operating overnight in Auckland.

It says patients are being moved out of Kaikoura as needed.

In Wellington, people are being told to use commonsense when in the central city today.

Some buildings are still being assessed and areas, particularly around Featherston Street, are still cordoned off.

Still broken glass and masonry on the streets here in Wellington pic.twitter.com/eC7ncP71Aq

— Georgia Nelson (@georgianelson21) November 14, 2016

Last night the council said it wasn't clear what public transport would be working in the city today after earlier mass cancellations.

People are being urged to car-share where they can.

Parliament has been inspected by engineers and given the all clear, and will sit at 2pm as usual today, Speaker David Carter says.

Prime Minister John Key is likely to open 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.