Hawkes Bay and the Wairarapa have been hit by two earthquakes this morning but there have been no reports of damage.
The quakes measured 5.2 and 3.6 on the Richter scale, and have been widely felt throughout the area.
The 3.6 quake hit 40km south of Hastings at 10.03am and had a focal depth of 40km. It had been reported by 70 people on the GNS website less than an hour-and-a-half after it stuck.
The 3.6 quake was followed by the 5.2 at 10.48am further south in the Wairarapa. It had a focal depth of 15km and was widely felt through-out the Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa and Manawatu areas.
Over 370 people reported feeling the quake on the GNS website by 11.30am.
The quake, close to the town of Dannevirke, was described by one resident as a "rock and a roll" but no damage has been reported so far.
"That's all we need after being soaked and blown and now we've been shaken," the resident told Hawke's Bay Today.
GNS duty seismologist Brian Ferris said the two earthquakes are in no way related to the powerful 7.1 earthquake which hit Christchurch on Saturday morning.
He said the quakes were on different fault lines.
For more Hawkes Bay news go to Hawke's Bay Today.
View Quakes recorded in Hawkes Bay in a larger map
