Magnitude 5.8 quake rattles Bay of Plenty

The quake measured 5.8 at a depth of 12km. Photo / Thinkstock

The East Coast of New Zealand rumbled with a sizeable quake felt this afternoon.

The shake struck at 4.54pm and measured 5.8 at a depth of 12km and was centred 150km east of Ruatoria.

"We've had a few reports from it," Geonet seismologist Mark Chadwick said.

"It hasn't been felt that widely, a few from the Bay of Plenty, Whakatane and someone in Wairoa, northern Hawke's Bay. I would certainly expect it would have been felt in the Ruatoria area."

"It's quite an active region. It's not unusual."

Gisborne police said there had been no reports of damage.