There have now been several aftershocks in Canterbury this afternoon, measuring 3.6, 4.1 and 4.8.
The strongest struck at 4.17 this afternoon and was centred 10 kilometres southeast of Diamond Harbour, eight kilometres deep.
GeoNet duty seismologist Caroline Ashenden says there have been a lot of reports from people who felt that shake.
An aftershock at 4.27 was located 10 kilometres east of Diamond Harbour at a depth of five kilometres and measured 3.6 on the Richter scale.
A quake at 4.48 was 10 kilometres southeast of Diamond Harbour at a depth of eight kilometres. It measured 4.1.
