Volunteers, mostly students, formed long queues to register with Student Volunteer Army, a group that has been helping residents to clean up quake damage.
With wheelbarrows in tow they waited in the rain to be transported out to Dallington, an eastern suburb that suffered extensive liquefaction in Tuesday's magnitude 6.3 quake.
Environment Canterbury's earthquake website says the Student Volunteer Army has mobilised 13,000 volunteers to clear silt and help in other ways in suburban areas.
Students' association executive member Morgan Perry, one of 10 volunteer coordinators, said more than 500 students had registered to help out by 9.30am today.
He said that number would grow, with up to 20 bus loads of students expected to register today.
The actual number could turn out to be much higher, if yesterday is anything to go by, when more than 440 students registered.
"I'd say double, if not triple actually turned up for that on site," Mr Perry told NZPA.
Volunteers would mostly be helping out by shovelling silt, but would also be reaching out to residents.
"We're just moving through the different areas in Dallington, and from that point we'll move on to other suburbs," Mr Perry said.
"We really want people to door knock and make sure that the public know that we're there and they're not forgotten."
Mr Perry said it was important for volunteers to register so organisers could coordinate their efforts.
"We tell the students, don't drive out there, solely because you don't want students gallivanting all around Christchurch. It is a hard thing to police."
The group has set up an online programme so people can call or text if they need help.
"That will actually go into our database, and we can work out where people are and who is in need. We can cluster that, and that's a way for us to say, 'Hey, we need to go out to that area next'."
The group was coordinating with Civil Defence and had received funding from private donors and the Government.
Fine arts and design student Michelle Wezenberg was among those heading out to help, armed with a shovel and wheelbarrow.
"I felt kind of useless sitting at home with nothing to do. You may as well be out doing something, so why not? I helped out with the last quake," she told NZPA.
"Today I think we're going to be going until about 4 o'clock. We're just going to be sent out to different areas of the city and just see who needs help."
Ms Wezenberg, who lives in the Christchurch suburb of St Albans, has herself been on the receiving end of the volunteer army's help.
"I think a lot of crews have already been around St Albans, because our street was already fully shovelled when we came back yesterday. That was awesome."
