An upgraded 7.5 magnitude earthquake has struck 20km south-east of Hanmer Springs, Geonet says.

Reports of damage are emerging and tsunami waves are starting to hit the east coast of New Zealand following a series of strong earthquakes around the country.

Taranaki residents described a terrifying noise preceding a tremor followed by 30 seconds of shaking.

Ultra-sensitive fibre-optic sensors extending nearly a kilometre below the Southern Alps will transform what we know about one of the biggest earthquake threats facing New Zealand.

Many residents felt the 4.4 magnitude shake early today.

East Cape was shaken by a 4.6 magnitude earthquake last night. GeoNet reported a preliminary magnitude after the shake just before

Officials are concerns after the latest quake damaged several churches and buildings in the heart of Rome.

The boss of the design firm boss behind the CTV Building, which collapsed in Christchurch's February 2011 earthquake killing 115 people

A strong earthquake has hit off the East Coast last night.

Borneo has been struck by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake according to reports.

The Horowhenua mayor elect has decided he will not be sworn-in under the roof of the current Horowhenua District Council building.

Sunday brunch has been a shaky affair for those in the East Cape who've been rocked by a "severe" 5.8 magnitude quake this morning.

A 4.7 magnitude earthquake has rattled the south Island 40km north west of Te Anau shortly before 7pm.

More than 4080 people have reported feeling the 4.4 magnitude quake which has hit northwest of Wellington.

The East Coast Lab has been launched to research New Zealand’s least understood subduction zone, the Hikurangi Trough. Made with funding from NZ on Air

The East Coast Lab has been launched to research New Zealand's least understood subduction zone, the Hikurangi Trough.

Japanese researchers believe they may be closer to predicting an earthquake, but it hasn't come without criticism.

There's no way to tell if a flurry of recent earthquakes which have rattled the country are signs of a big one to come, a seismologist says.

Scientists can't rule out the possibility of a strong quake greater than magnitude 8 hitting the East Coast in the coming month.

Watch NZH Focus: A strong aftershock rocks the North Island's east coast, a 5.7 magnitude quake struck at 3.19 this morning. President Barack Obama becomes the first sitting US president to visit the isolated, landlocked Southeast Asian nation of Laos. And Mel Gibson’s new movie the World War II action drama ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ premieres to rave reviews at the Venice Film Festival.

One of the strongest aftershocks rocked the East Coast early today.

Hundreds of aftershocks rock the East Coast of the North Island - and seismologists warn they could go on for months.

The East Coast continues to be rattled by aftershocks with several moderate quakes jolting the region overnight.

Aftershocks have continued to shake the North Island after it was hit by one of its biggest earthquakes in decades.

Civil Defence's response to the 7.1 magnitude quake will be reviewed following criticism it was too slow to alert people of potential danger.

Seismologist Dr John Ristau answers some questions about earthquakes in the region.

Source: Facebook / Ali Rewi

Reports of damaged homes are starting to come following this morning's 7.1 quake which triggered a tsunami warning, closed schools and temporarily stopped trains.

The Earthquake Commission is downplaying a discrepancy where it failed to keep track of more than 2000 "remedial requests".

Scientists say it would have been impossible to predict today's earthquake even though a tremor a day earlier was probably a foreshock.