I've been helping out with
http://twitter.com/SafeInChch It's a twitter account ppl can ask for news about loved ones in Chch or post any news they hear. When we retweet a tweet it goes to a number of feeds that pick them up and log them on various websites. We are manually updating
http://christchurch-2011.person-finder.appspot.com as well. This person finder site was set up by Google within a few hours of the quakes. So far over 9,000 entries in, quite high % for a city of 300,000.
If u have info about someone that was in Chch let me know or @SafeInChch so others can hear it pls.
I am ex-kiwi (still kiwi at heart) and attended uni near Chch so trying to do what I can
Some of the stories I am reading about ...
The tweet from Mr or Ms Average-Kiwi offering to drive 3 hours to pick up anyone who wants to come stay at their house,
Pay the $50 fare that AirNZ is offering for a one-way flight out of Chch, so someone can come stay - offer to total strangers,
Ppl are FLEEING in fear,
Rocks the size of cars rolling down hills and demolishing houses,
Modern buildings falling like a house of cards,
A hotel that is Chch's tallest building leaning over, windows continually breaking as it continues to move, causing a 4 block no-go area,
This is not a major shake-up, this is a full-on natural disaster. There will be ppl that having lived there their whole lives will not return to Chch.
Just my 2c worth.
Having said that, life goes on, so enjoy the moments you have and enjoy caching to the utmost when you can.