A 5.3 magnitude earthquake has struck25km of the town of Waiouru in New Zealand, USGS reported. The quake was felt in several other cities across the centre of North island, local press reported.
The quake took place 79km from the town of Taradale and 82km from Hastings.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre defined the quake depth at 55km.
The earthquake took place 230 km from the country’s capital of Wellington.
North Island residents have shared posts on social media, saying the earthquake was a strong one.
"It just about [shook] me off the chair. A swaying motion, and the whole house creaked, and one of my photos came off the wall," a resident in the town of Waitara told local Newstalk ZB radio.
New Zealand, located on the eastern edge of the Australia plate, is considered one of the most sesimically active areas of the world. It has high rates of convergence between the Australia and Pacific plates.