New Zealand emergency services and defence personnel evacuated hundreds of tourists and residents from a small South Island town amid more strong aftershocks on Tuesday, a day after a powerful earthquake killed two people.
Warships from the United States, Canada and Australia have been drafted in to help earthquake relief efforts in New Zealand after a 7.8 tremor devastated parts of the South Island, officials said on Wednesday.
Traditional Hawaiian garments gifted to Captain James Cook before he was killed in the islands more than two centuries ago were handed back to indigenous people of the US Pacific state at a ceremony in Wellington.
The Australia-New Zealand cricket series faced a fresh umpiring drama on the opening day of the first Test in Wellington with Australian batsman Adam Voges given a reprieve after being bowled.
