Weak earthquake felt near Rotorua

Rotorua residents awake in the early hours of this morning have reported feeling the earthquake that shook the ground 20km south-east of the city.

The magnitude 3.3 earthquake, classified as weak, was at a depth of 5km and registered at 1am.

Minutes later GeoNet recorded an "unnoticeable" magnitude 1.7 earthquake in Rotorua.

Some readers on the Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page said they felt shaking and heard their houses creaking, while others said they slept through it.

One said she "flew out of her bed" after the shake.

At 12.57am a magnitude 3.0 earthquake at a depth of 36km was registered 10km east of Tokomaru Bay. This too was classified by GeoNet as weak.

Earlier in the evening a magnitude 3.9 quake, classified as light, hit 15km east of Te Kaha.