From sea to rock: Kaikoura beach's remarkable post-quake transformation

Pictures show a snapshot of the devastation that's happened along the Kaikōura Coast, with water drained and the seabed cracked - in stark difference to a pre-quake photo of the area.

A picture taken by photographer Andrew Spencer following the quake, at a lookout over South Bay, shows water has been drained from the area and there are cracks in the ground.

(Andrew Spencer/ Supplied)

According to GNS Science, parts of the Kaikōura seabed have lifted up to 1.5m following last week's 7.8 magnitude earthquake, and the fault along the coast ruptured at 3km/s.

An earlier photograph from the same lookout shows a different picture.

Mr Spencer says despite it all, the community has been really positive following the quakes, "the sun is shining and it's a great place to be".

Newshub.