Wellington

"As a Mum of two young girls, seeing the number of young children dying in Samoa has been heartbreaking," said Sophia Uele of Tautua Dance, one of the organisers of the event.

She said she and her partner felt raising funds for Samoa could be one way to help, and once the call went out for performers, people generously said yes.

"The amount of love and support that they have all shown us, when this only [went] out to everyone maybe last week to see who would be free to come along - and we have about 15 acts," she said.

Since August 2018, Wellington Police have targeted two syndicates involved in what is believed to be the distribution of millions of dollars’ worth of methamphetamine into the wider Wellington community.

As a result, 31 men and 4 women aged between 23 and 42, from around the Wellington and Central Districts, have been arrested.

More than 200 charges will be laid in relation to offending that includes distribution of methamphetamine and cannabis, money laundering and firearms offending.

Nearly 400 academics, scientists, policy makers and politicians are in the capital for the three-day conference.

Brianna Fruean, from Samoa and representing Pacific Climate Change Warriors, says it's encouraging to see more youth taking action against climate change. 

Fealofani Brunn who has captained the Samoan va'atele Gaualofa through her journeys around the world is confident they will get to Wellington in time but she says for now, it's safety first for crew on all the vaka.

"We're constantly on the weather channels like religious, just to make sure everything is safe. Gaualofa is the only Samoan Va'atele so it's a big thing for us to make sure the crew are intact."

Hundreds attended the event on the waterfront's Odlin Plaza, where Pacific food and hand-made crafts were sold and community groups performed.

Celebrations ended with performances from award-winning Niuean artist Tommy Nee and internationally-known reggae star, George Veikoso, also known as Fiji. 

The festival was MC'ed by Tofiga Fepulea'i from the comedy duo the Laughing Samoans.

It will be held at Odlins Plaza on the waterfront and feature performances by traditional and contemporary Pacific artists.

There will also be traditional pacific food, including a Pacific Island Cook-Off and a range of family-friendly activities.

The festival will be MCed by Tofiga Fepulea'i a former member of the comedy duo the Laughing Samoans.

The Wellington council says it is an opportunity for all Pacific people to celebrate and share their knowledge, values and beliefs.

The Wellington Pasifika Festival runs from 12 noon until 6pm.

Leilani Sio got the idea rolling with an online boosted campaign to help fund their involvement in next month's festival, receiving just over $2500 from donors, including Green MP Jan Logie.

Sio says the Pacific rainbow community has been absent in the big Pacific festivals for too long.

"I just had the idea that I think it would be important to actually participate in a Pasifika festival. They've been happening for more than two decades around Aotearoa and one thing that stuck out was the lack of representation as far as Rainbow Pasifika goes."

The quake, measuring magnitude 4.1, struck 15km northwest of Wellington just after 2.30am.

Geonet said the quake caused light shaking across the region.

More than 2100 people reported feeling the quake from as far afield as Bay of Plenty and Christchurch.

Many living in the Wellington region described it as a noisy quake that could be heard several seconds before it struck.

"I was already awake working and heard it coming. Rumble then shake," posted Tracy Wellington.

The All Blacks blindside flanker, who played against Argentina but was rested for the South Africa trip, has been given the all-clear to rejoin the Lions at Westpac Stadium.

He joins Brad Shields and fellow Hurricane Wes Goosen in returning to a powerful starting lineup.

Shields reclaims the captaincy after missing the past four weeks due to a knee ligament tweak suffered during Wellington's sole loss of the season against Tasman in Blenheim on September 10.

It was 17 kilometres deep, and 30km north-east of Seddon.

A Picton resident has described it as a "bit of a big juddery" quake, rattling their house.

All trains in the city are running at reduced speeds, Metlink has advised