Christchurch rattled by more aftershocks

Christchurch has continued to be rattled by sizeable aftershocks over night.

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck at 1.21am, 20 kilometres east of Christchurch at a depth of 15km, GeoNet reported.

This was shortly followed by a magnitude 3.9, at a depth of 8km, 20km east of Christchurch. Just after 5am a 3.4 quake struck at a depth of 8km, 20km east of Christchurch and at 5.30am a magnitude 3.4 struck at a depth of 6km, 10km north-east of Christchurch.

One resident in the suburb of Mairehau reported the 5.2 earthquake as "heavily damaging" on the GeoNet website.

However, police and fire service said they had not received any reports of damage.

Yesterday afternoon a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck just after experts predicted more quakes for the region.

The high-level quake summit was held in the shaky city, and organised by Mayor Bob Parker, to "provide the full facts" for information-hungry citizens.

Government seismologist Dr Kelvin Berryman had warned: "There is almost certainly a magnitude 5.0 out still there and we would guess quite a few 4s and 3s - on a daily basis."

He had said the probability of a magnitude-7 was "very low" but "not zero."

Dr Berryman from GNS Science was called to brief city councillors, MPs, and the media on up-to-date information after the recent spate of quakes originated out at sea in Pegasus Bay, sparked by the series of violent jolts on December 23.