Police in New Zealand's second city, Christchurch, say the death toll from Tuesday's earthquake has risen to 145.
No survivors have been found since a woman was rescued on Wednesday afternoon.
More than 200 people are still missing, and the Department of Foreign Affairs says it still has concerns about one Irish person.
Rescue teams from New Zealand and six countries including the United States, China, Japan and Australia scoured ruined buildings in the central city and suburban areas hardest hit by the 6.3 tremor, but found only bodies.
'We expect that number to rise as the search and rescue teams progressively find more and more deceased among the ruins,' police commander Dave Cliff said.
Hopes of finding people alive five days after the quake were dimmed by aftershocks of up to magnitude 4.4, which brought down masonry and sent rescue teams scrambling for safety.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key called for a two-minute national silence on 1 March as a sign of unity for the people of Christchurch and to grieve for people killed in the country's worst natural disaster for 80 years.
'For now we must do all we can to show its people that all of New Zealand grieves with them,' said Mr Key, who met with the families of those still missing.
'They fear the worst but there is still a glimmer of hope,' he said. 'The urban search and rescue crew made it clear that this was still very much a rescue effort, not a recovery.'
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said rebuilding plans were already under way for the ruined centre, but much of the financial district could be sealed off for months as a 'huge demolition effort' of up to a quarter of the buildings began.
Mass held for Monaghan victim of earthquake
A mass was held in Co Monaghan this morning to remember a local man who died in the earthquake in New Zealand on Tuesday.
Owen McKenna, 40, was originally from Brackagh near Emyvale. He was married to a New Zealand woman and worked as a clinical co-ordinator at Christchurch Hospital.
He had also worked as a duty manager and a charge nurse.
The mass took place at the church of the Sacred Heart in Carrickroe in the parish of Errigal Truagh.
