Students at Massey in Manawatu were urged to keep an eye on the university's Facebook page.

Manawatu university exams are cancelled after the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Canterbury overnight.

Massey University's Facebook page advises bleary-eyed students that exams in Manawatu and Wellington are postponed on Monday.

The quake struck just after midnight and was widely felt in both the South and North Islands, as far north as Auckland, causing damage and knocking out power as well as triggering tsunami alerts. It was centred near Culverden, North Canterbury.

Murray Wilson/ Fairfax NZ. Massey University exams were called off on Monday in Manawatu. Students Danielle Pearson and Sarah Whiteman are now waiting to find out what happens next.

Massey's main exam building, SSLB, at the Manawatu campus remains closed until further notice.

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However, the rest of the campus is open and the university says students will be told about rescheduled exams as soon as possible.

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Agriculture student Danielle Pearson and two friends drove half an hour to attend their exam this morning.

"We heard over Facebook that it was cancelled, but we wanted to make sure for ourselves," she said.

Pearson was scheduled to fly to South East Asia on Tuesday, following her final exam, which was scheduled for Monday morning.

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"Now we'll just have to wait until they update the school's media," she said.

Anther agriculture student, Sarah Whiteman, was frustrated that her final exam had been postponed.

"I just want to get it over and done with," Whiteman said.

ALDEN WILLIAMS/FAIRFAX NZ Earthquake damage at Fire and Ice in Hanmer.

She had heard that her final exam could be cancelled completely and she was hoping this would happen.

"It's been a year-long paper. I wouldn't mind if they just cancelled it," she said.

All buildings are being checked on all campuses.

On Monday afternoon, the university said all exams will go ahead as scheduled from tomorrow. Those canned today might not have to be re-sit.



University operations, international and university registrar assistant vice-chancellor Stuart Morriss said such an approach was fair and efficient.



"Rather than asking all students whose exams were postponed to re-sit at a later date, we will in almost all cases use internal assessment grades to determine an outcome," he said.

"There may be some courses where this is not practical, but we will talk directly to those students if necessary.



"Students who would prefer to the sit the postponed examination will be able to apply to do so and this will be considered based on the circumstances.

"Similarly, students who sat the exam today but feel they were adversely affected by events leading up to it – or by this decision – will be able to apply for an alternative assessment."

Power outages across region

Fire Service Manawatu area commander Mitchell Brown said about 25 people would travel to Wellington on Monday morning to help with Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) operations.

The Palmerston North-based teams will be helping with building-damage assessments in the city. A support crew from Palmerston North and Whanganui will also be travelling to Wellington.

Brown said there had been few reports of building damage in Palmerston North overnight. However,Bunnythorpe lost power between 12am-6am.

Powerco says 7000 homes in Manawatu and 8000 in Whanganui lost power because of the quake.

Power outages were reported in Tokomaru, Newbury, Aokautere, Linton, Rangiotu, Pahiatua, Ballance, Feilding and Cheltenham.

At 2.20pm, according to Powerco's website, 48 homes in Feilding were without electricity and 97 in Pahiatua. Feilding and Pahiatua were expected to regain power about 4pm.

Power was lost to 679 houses in Rongotea about 1pm due to the earthquake, but has since been restored, a Powerco spokeswoman said.

According to Electra's website, about 60 houses in Horowhenua had reported power outages.

The earthquake also caused a Foxton water main to burst and Horowhenua District Council maintenance contractors were working to repair it on Monday.

The water supply from the Foxton water tower reservoir has been shut down to allow for the repairs and get the supply back operating as soon as possible.

Roading staff were inspecting the district's roads and bridges, and Levin's council building was also being checked. So far there were no issues.

KiwiRail has also cancelled all trains south of Palmerston North, including the morning Capital Connection commuter service. KiwiRail has not responded to requests for information about the cancellation.

A tsunami warning and evacuation for Herbertville and Akitio was reduced to a marine and beach threat.

Weather to turn

School NCEA exams are going a head as normal, however, New Zealand scholarship exams have been cancelled, NZQA's website states.

The scholarship examinations have been postponed at all schools and exam centres.

Flights and operations are running as normal at Palmerston North airport, Airways New Zealand's head of public affairs, Emily Davies said.

An Air New Zealand spokesman said there were no delays and flights were running "hunky dory" from Palmerston North.

A Jetstar spokesman said there were no earthquake related issues with its service.

A severe weather warning was issued by MetService for Manawatu and Whanganui on Monday, with heavy rain and gale force winds expected from early evening until Tuesday morning.

MetService said it was possible northerly winds would reach severe gale force, with gusts of 120 kmh or more expected in Manawatu and Whanganui.

A heavy rainfall warning was also issued for the Tararua Range, the headwaters of the Whanganui River and Ruapehu.

Buildings and structures checked

Palmerston North City Council engineers are on Monday morning checking local roads, council facilities and bridges for earthquake damage and at this stage no major issues have been uncovered.

Council city enterprises general manager Ray McIndoe says the Fitzherbert Bridge was checked.

"There was some superficial damage to a handrail, but there are no other concerns and the bridge has been deemed safe."

McIndoe said the council's main building suffered minor damage, including to the air conditioning system's cooling tower.

"Repairs are being undertaken right now."

A council structural engineer has finished a visual inspection to the main building and has found it is safe.

"He'll be making checks on other council facilities as well," McIndoe said.

Water services staff members are inspecting the city's main water source, the Turitea Dam.

"The dam and reservoirs are safe. They'll also be looking at the city bores and pump stations. Right now, everything is operating as normal."

McIndoe suggested property owners check their buildings for damage.

MidCentral DHB's services, including Palmerston North Hospital and Horowhenua Health Centre, are continuing to operate as normal, across the district.

A MidCentral spokesman said engineering and facilities staff evaluated buildings at both sites immediately after the earthquake, focusing on patient areas first.

No significant damage was found.

A further detailed evaluation of both sites was done later on Monday morning. No major damage has been identified.

Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith has offered assistance to the Wellington City Council and three Palmerston North structural engineers might go down later today or tomorrow.

Palmerston North City Council chief executive Paddy Clifford knows the earthquake-struck area well, as former chief executive for the Hurunui District Council.

"I feel for Kaikoura. It's cut off right now, but the will come back and will have support from around the county."

So far two have been confirmed dead as a result from the earthquake.

One person died after a homestead collapsed in Kaikoura, while another person died at a property in Mount Lyford.

Clifford was involved in setting up the executive group for Civil Defence in the district and was confident systems were in place to cope.

"They have good staff on all the councils and Civil Defence will be pulling it all together."

The Palmerston North City Council was prepared to help wherever that was needed.

"This is not the big one. But it really was a wake up call for all of us to be prepared."

Palmerston North's All Saints Church, which has been closed to the public for three and a half years because of its poor earthquake rating, has come through Monday's quake unscathed.



Priest and spokesman for the church's strengthening and enhancement project John Hornblow said a visual inspection of the old building revealed a little disturbed dust, but no other effects.



"That's quite remarkable given that was the biggest earthquake we have had."



Hornblow said it was heartening that the heritage building had been able to withstand the shake.



"It underscores the importance of us strengthening the building."