Milford Sound hit by magnitude 5.6 earthquake felt by thousands across country

The magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck 40 kilometres west of Milford Sound. Image / Geonet

A moderate earthquake has rattled parts of the South Island this evening.

The 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck 40 kilometres off the west coast of the South Island just before 10pm.

The quake, at a depth of five kilometres, was reportedly felt by nearly 2000 people, mostly around Milford Sound, Queenstown and Dunedin, according to GeoNet.