New Zealand: Severe Weather and Over 1200 Aftershocks

Earthquake: Wild weather wallops capital as the country is jolted by aftershocks

Wild weather walloped the capital, as the rest of the country affected by Monday's earthquake continued to struggle through a day of more than 1200 aftershocks.

The 7.5 magnitude earthquake in North Canterbury, which caused two deaths, has also left family of residents in Kaikoura, the country's worst-hit area, searching for loved ones whose homes and businesses lie shattered.

One person died after the Elm Homestead in Kaikoura collapsed. The cause of death of Mt Lyford woman Jo-Anne Mackinnon, in her 50s, was still to be determined.

More than 200 tourists who were stranded in the tourist town were airlifted out of the area by New Zealand Defence Force.

They had spent the night before hunkered down on church pews and marae mattresses before waking to a breakfast of donated crayfish.

Christchurch Civil Defence was working with the Regional Emergency Management Office to get 1500 chemical toilets to Kaikoura and would be also offering to lend the town its portable water chlorinators.