Six people, including three students, associated with Cashmere High School are believed to have been killed or injured in Friday's terrorist attacks.
Kiwis across the country are flocking to makeshift Christchurch shooting memorials as they leave flowers, donate money or simply offer hugs to members of New Zealand's Muslim community.
Auckland-based Dr Anwar Sahib, the chair of NZ Islamic Information Centre, was among the "traffic jam" of people gathered near Christchurch AlNoor Mosque today to pay their respects to victims of Friday's terror attack.
He was joined there by ordinary Kiwis, Islamic leaders and even a high-level Turkish delegation.
Louise and Regan Tullett place flowers from their wedding across the road from the Linwood Mosque in Christchurch. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Sahib said he and other members of the Muslim community had been flooded with support since a gunman killed 50 people and injured countless others in a horrific attack on two Christchurch mosques.
While Sahib's home mosque, the Masjid at-Taqwa in Auckland had closed after the attack under advice from police, many people had brought flowers and money for the victims to the site anyway, he said.
His NZ Islamic Information Centre had now also collected almost $2 million for the families of victims through a LaunchGood fundraising page.
A separate Givealittle page set up by the Victim Support group had raised $5.2m.
Yet one of the most touching aspects of the response to the attacks had come from ordinary Kiwis on the street.
"On Saturday, when I was at the petrol station filling up my car, a young man walks to me, shakes my hand, hugs me and walks away - we didn't even need to say words to each other," Sahib said.
"This is the kind of support we are getting."
Kiwis have been urged to show their support to local Muslim communities.
He said part of the reason for his trip to Christchurch had to meet with representatives of the families of the victims as well as other support groups to learn more what was needed to be done and how the money raised should be used.
Volunteers from his mosque were also travelling to Christchurch to help out.
For those wishing to pay their respects in Christchurch, the city council had opened the Great Hall at the Christchurch Arts Centre as a "place of reflection and gathering" where all are welcome.
A memorial is planned to take place in Cathedral Square this Thursday at 8.30pm, while a condolence book has been set up in the city's central library so people can leave messages of support and sympathy.
Tauranga residents lay flowers outside at the city's mosque. Photo / Supplied
The Christchurch Foundation has also set up another fund where money can be donated to the injured and victims' families.
Students from the city's Cashmere High School are also organising a vigil today after seven people associated with the school were killed in Friday's attack.
Students from across the city were urged to attend the vigil planned for 4pm this afternoon at the memorial outside the Al Noor Mosque on Deans Ave.
In Auckland, Sahib's Masjid at-Taqwa had not organised formal vigils or prayers for the victims because the mosque had remained closed on the advice of police.
Photos of the Christchurch mosque shooting victims have been displayed at the Tauranga mosque. Photo / George Novak
However, leaders from Christian churches are organising memorials and gatherings planned for Thursday attended by senior Islamic figures which will be open to anyone wishing to attend.
Sahib said Auckland's Muslim community would also welcome anyone who wished to pop in for a chat or to show their support.
In Tauranga, the city's mosque has turned into memorial with city residents leaving swathes of flowers against its walls, while prayers were said on Saturday evening in memory of the victims of the attacks.
Imaam Ahmed Abdelkader Ghoneim said people had been visiting the mosque all through Saturday and Sunday, and he welcomed anyone else who wished to visit.
"They come to put flowers and we invite them to come inside the mosque," he said.
"You can walk along to the mosque at anytime - there will be somebody there to welcome and sit with you," he said.
He said the community's support had been "really touching".
A post of the mosque's Facebook page said the shooting had brought the "churches and communities to stand together with us Muslims", rather than divide the community.
