Series of quakes shake North Island

A 4.5 magnitude tremor struck 75km north of White Island at 5.56pm. Photo / 123rf

The North Island has been shaken by a series of earthquakes this evening.

But unlike yesterday, they were the real deal, and not "ghost quakes".

A 4.5 magnitude tremor struck 75km north of White Island at 5.56pm this evening.

The moderate quake was at a depth of 27km.

A weak 3.5 magnitude quake struck a minute later 20km northwest of Whakatane.

It was at a depth of 45km.

And a light 4.2 magnitude quake was centred 55km north of White Island at 6.39pm at a depth of 30km.

The tremors follows a swarm of "ghost quakes" last night.

The GeoNet website recorded a 5.4 magnitude quake at 7.04pm yesterday, some 120km north of Te Araroa.

It was apparently followed two minutes later by a 4.7 magnitude quake striking 55km south-east of Taupo, felt as far away as Auckland and Wellington.

Another 3.3 magnitude quake was recorded 5km deep near Te Kaha at 7.22pm.

But last night's so-called quakes were quickly deleted from the site and GeoNet tweeted that a 6.0 earthquake in the Kermadecs had caused "ghost quakes".

The real quake hit just after 7pm around 100km south of Raoul Island, one of four islands in the Kermadecs. A 6.6 magnitude quake also hit there the previous night.

GeoNet seismologist Dr Bill Fry said the seismic waves from yesterday's Kermadecs would have been felt here.

"Kermadec is prone to earthquakes - it actually represents one of the biggest hazards to New Zealand," he said.