The teenager who drowned after he was swept into the flooded Hutt River on Thursday was trying to rescue his friend.

Chlorine has been added to Lower Hutt's water supply, in another E. coli scare.

Motorists face flooding and road closures across the Wellington and Wairarapa regions this morning.

Owners of boutique cinemas in Wellington have seen their business double since the November earthquake knocked two major cinemas out of action.

Police have used CCTV footage to identify two vehicles of interest in the case of murdered Upper Hutt woman Lois Tolley.

Police were unable to find the group of three or four males driving a black car up and down the road.

The site where a nine-storey office block once stood on Wellington's Molesworth St is hardly recognisable.

The elderly Wellington grandmother missing after going for a run yesterday has been found.

There was a record downpour in Auckland, a tornado in Taranaki and "quake lights" above Wellington. Oh, and 2016 was likely also New Zealand's hottest year on record.

A Wellington kitten had a close shave this morning after becoming trapped in rush-hour traffic.

A teenager who was charged after allegedly saying "this teacher is mean as f***" in a public place has had his charges withdrawn.

Wellington police are appealing for information after a woman was badly injured in a possible hit and run early Saturday morning.

The earthquakes closed New World Hutt City, so its owners have opened a pop-up supermarket.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has released its findings on two Wellington commuter train crashes.

Creaking metal and roaring machinery have heralded the end of Queensgate mall's cinema.

Lower Hutt shoppers won't be vying for a car park at Queensgate or the CBD this Christmas season, thanks to a free weekend shuttle service.

A Wellington mother is furious her son was disqualified from running barefoot from an inter-school event but a local sporting body says it agrees with the school's decision.

A teenager faces a court hearing for allegedly saying "this teacher is mean as f***" in a public place.

Alternative work spaces are being arranged for hundreds of office workers kicked out of the Asteron building. The building, which

Xero spokesperson says staff are "deeply saddened by the loss" of two employees who died during an overnight walk in the Tararua Range.

Last Monday's earthquake should be a wake-up call about the risks commercial building owners overlook when it comes to non-structural items, say experts.

Footpath outside mall closed for building strengthening work.

The Metservice is warning rain, wind, and possible thunderstorms are on the way to Wellington for tonight and tomorrow.

State Highway 2 is closed in both directions as police respond to an incident in Lower Hutt.

The Prime Minister's bodyguards directed traffic around a high rise close to collapse, slips caused traffic chaos and homes were evacuated in capital.

Traffic leaving central Wellington is gridlocked as commuters scramble to leave the rain-battered city.

A number of schools have been closed due to flooding, affecting some students due to sit exams after afternoon.

A Lower Hutt man whose house is threatened by floodwaters won't evacuate because he is worried about looters.

Give yourself a pat on the back, people of Wellington