KEY POINTS:
An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale was felt sharply in eastern Bay of Plenty this morning.
The quake, just before 8am, was centred 30km southeast of Opotiki at a depth of 40km and felt as far as Gisborne, according to a preliminary report from GNS Science.
An Opotiki police spokeswoman said the quake had been a strong jolt, but no reports of damage had come through by 9am.
It was preceded early this morning by a smaller earthquake felt in the Pongakawa Valley.
The 2.3 quake, at 4.44am, was centred about 20km northwest of Kawerau, at a depth of only 2km.
- NZPA
