Emergency and social services staff respond to the information on damage from a major simulated earthquake as it comes in to the civil defence emergency management group's regional co-ordination centre at the Otago Regional Council in Dunedin yesterday... : Massive 'quake' tests emergency plans

Waitaki Bridge Civil Defence volunteer John Thorn mans the radio during yesterday's South Island-wide Civil Defence exercise. Photo by Andrew Ashton. : Massive 'quake' tests emergency plans

Queenstown Lakes District Council emergency management officer Jon Mitchell is briefed during the exercise in Queenstown yesterday. Photo by Tracey Roxburgh. : Massive 'quake' tests emergency plans