New Zealand's government said on Thursday it would spend around NZ$2 billion ($1.42 billion) rebuilding road and railway links to the tourist resort of Kaikoura, after the South Island's main transport artery was wiped out in a deadly earthquake last month.
The first shipload of refugees left the quake-stricken town of Kaikoura Wednesday as the New Zealand government announced the magnitude of Monday's deadly tremor had been upgraded from 7.5 to 7.8.
Quake recovery efforts could be hampered by further bad weather with more heavy rain and southerly gales forecast for the Kaikoura coast and Wellington.
The New Zealand military on Tuesday accepted outside offers of help in its relief operations in the wake of Monday's deadly earthquake in the South Island.
Emergency authorities have declared a state of emergency in the tourist town of Kaikoura and nearby areas after a deadly earthquake rocked much of New Zealand early Monday.
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