If you've read the Christchurch blog, you'll have seen the damage caused by earthquakes here. There's other powerful natural stuff at work too. New Zealand lies on a plate boundary (http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/earthquakes/1/2/2), meaning that there are fault lines along which earthquakes occur, volcanoes (lots of these, Auckland is built on about 40) and areas where the earth's crust is much thinner than is usual.
In these 'geothermal' areas, heat from underneath the ground can be felt and seen at the surface, in the form of bubbling, boiling water in pools and lakes, and steam vents. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/geothermal-energy/1
I visited Rotorua, a town in an area with a high amount of geothermal activity. It's really strange to see steam coming out of a crack at the edge of the road for example. There are park areas where there's loads of steam and boiling ponds - quite spooky at times. Some areas of ground are very unstable, new cracks and vents appear all time. In a few places you could feel the heat through your shoes when walking around!
People have lived in this area for a long time - Maori tribes for hundreds of years. The hot water is used for cooking, heating homes and washing. Vegetables can be cooked by putting them in a fabric (muslin) back and dipping them into the boiling pools. They cook very fast. People also have 'ovens' - wood or stone boxes over areas of hot ground. There are still villages that use these everyday.
Geothermal power is also used by power companies to generate electricity and to heat homes and businesses in the area - a good renewable energy source!
More info: http://geothermal61.learnz.org.nz/ or wikipedia it: Wairakei Power Station
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