Four magnitude 4.0 quakes and higher have rattled parts of Christchurch and Canterbury since Monday lunchtime.

The tremors have increased lately and a number have been centred in the Prebbleton,Templeton and Rolleston areas just south of Christchurch.

The shakes have ranged from magnitude 4.0 to 4.3 and yesterday afternnon, aftershocks of 4.2 and 4.1 were recorded.

One Islington resident reported to WeatherWatch.co.nz on the facebook page that some items had fallen off the shelves in her home in the southern part of the city.

Police reported few if any problems with the rattlers but frayed nerves for a number of residents continue more than a year on from the initial earthquake last September.

The All Blacks have been training in the city this week and have experienced some of the activity from Mother Nature this week however they fly out today in preparation for the big match coming up this weekend.