Story highlights Aftershocks continue to rattle New Zealand

The town of Kaikoura has been cut off

(CNN) After being rocked by a deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake, a wave of powerful aftershocks, thousands are now stranded in a New Zealand town near the quake's epicenter.

A local state of emergency has been declared for the region of Canterbury, which is home to the areas hardest hit by the quake.

Helicopters are being sent to airlift trapped tourists and locals from cut-off communities in the Hurunui and Kaikoura districts, according to the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

A pair of ships, the HMNZS Canterbury and HMNZS Wellington, have also been sent to waters off the coast of Canterbury to assist.

Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand The area around a nine-story office building in Wellington, New Zealand, is cordoned off after officials determined it was at risk of collapse on Tuesday, November 15. A powerful magnitude 7.8 quake caused massive infrastructure damage when it hit just after midnight on Monday near the town of Kaikoura on the country's South Island. Hide Caption 1 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand A cracked street is flooded in the area of Petone, near Wellington, after severe weather impacted the region in the aftermath of the quake on November 15. Two people were killed in the quake, which was followed by more than 1,000 aftershocks. Hide Caption 2 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand Tourists evacuated from Kaikoura arrive by helicopter at Woodend School grounds in Christchurch on November 15. People were evacuated from Kaikoura by air, after landslides triggered by the earthquake cut off road access to the popular tourist destination. Hide Caption 3 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand Tourists who had been visiting Kaikoura disembark from a military helicopter in Christchurch on November 15. Hide Caption 4 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand The New Zealand Defence Force conducts airlifts to evacuate people trapped in the area of Kaikoura after landslides cut off roads to the town. Hide Caption 5 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand A member of the New Zealand Defence Force assists a family aboard a helicopter during evacuations of Kaikoura. The popular tourist destination on the South Island is home to more than 3,500 people. Hide Caption 6 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand A landslide cuts off State Highway One near Ohau Point on the east coast of the South Island on Monday, November 14. Hide Caption 7 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand The extent of damage to State Highway One is seen near Ohau on November 14. Hide Caption 8 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand Emergency services inspect a bridge crossing the Waiau River, north of Christchurch, on November 14. Hide Caption 9 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand Mary Kimber surveys the damage in her kitchen after the quake in Waiau on November 14. Hide Caption 10 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand Firefighters respond to a call in Wellington, New Zealand, in the early hours of November 14. Hide Caption 11 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand People wait in Te Aro Park after being evacuated from nearby buildings. Hide Caption 12 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand A road sign flashes a tsunami warning in Wellington on November 14. Waves of just over two meters high hit the coast following the earthquake. Hide Caption 13 of 14 Photos: Earthquake shakes New Zealand Earthquake damage on New Zealand's State Highway One and the main railway line north of Kaikoura is seen on November 14. Hide Caption 14 of 14

Aftershocks have rattled the region during rescue efforts. They're are expected to continue following the initial quake, which killed two people after it struck early Monday local time, New Zealand authorities said.

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"We can say one thing with certainty: there will be more earthquakes to come in this area," said GeoNet, New Zealand's official source of geological hazard information. Kaikoura, which is near the epicenter of the quake, is now cut off from the rest of the country. The town, known for its prime whale watching and scenic vistas, is about a two and a half hour drive north of Christchurch. CNN Map

The government is working to evacuate about 140 people out of Kaikoura, according to Prime Minister John Key.

He said the U.S. Navy had volunteered its help to ferry people out aboard two helicopters on the USS Sampson, which is in the area. Key said he missed a call with US President-elect Donald Trump during the hectic aftermath of the quake.

Chinese state media said it sent helicopters in to evacuate Chinese tourists in the city.

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About 40 have been evacuated so far and another 60 are expected to depart soon, according to the Chinese Consulate-General in Christchurch.

Julian Wilcox, who lives in Kaikoura, said his Maori tribe will open up its ceremonial gathering place for people to use as a shelter.

They hosted 500 people Monday and expect to have another 200 stay overnight on Tuesday.

"In times on trouble our role is to look after people, no matter who they are," Wilcox said.

His tribe, Ngai Tahu, runs a fishing company of the same name. So far they've donated 400 lobsters to those in need and plan to donate 400 more on Tuesday, he said.

Landslides

There have been somewhere between 80,000 to 100,000 landslides since the quake, GeoNet said, with areas of the Inland and Seaward Kaikoura Ranges the most affected.

But power in some places has been restored, as have limited telecommunications capabilities.

"It's clear things aren't going to revert to normal pretty quickly, and that it's going to take time for things to go back to how they were," Key said.

Search and rescue teams, landslide specialists and building inspectors have been deployed, the agency said in a statement.

"We know that water, food and fuel are required in Kaikoura, Hurunui and Marlborough, and we're coordinating relief supplies and transport to get those essentials in," the agency said.

The Red Cross said in a statement that water is running out. But it has brought generators, satellite communications, an inflatable shelter and water supplies to Kaikoura.

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Tuesday rain

Some of the country is now dealing with heavy rain, the effects of which are being exacerbated by the quakes' aftermath.

Flood water flows through cracks in the road surface on Udy Street after severe weather, November 15, 2016 in Wellington.

However, Kaikoura had been spared the worst of the downpour, according to the country's meteorological service.

Journalists at Radio New Zealand spoke with one family whose house was on a fault line and moved from its foundation.

Sue Murray from Bluff Station, Kekerengu, talks through the 'house-moving' experience. Fault line was right under the house. pic.twitter.com/GrcNUimYfa — Alex Perrottet (@alexperro) November 14, 2016

A birds-eye view of the house shows the driveway cut down the middle, feet away from where it used to be.

A house on a fault line is shown after Monday's earthquake in New Zealand

"I'd say it's billions of dollars worth of money that we have to spend here but we're focused on what we're doing and we'll keep up the good work," Key said after the quake.