A massive evacuation effort is under way throughout the north of the country, following an 8.1 earthquake off the Kermadec Islands at 8.30am.
It has triggered tsunami waves expected to reach New Zealand's coast shortly - although it is not known how big they will be.
The quake followed an earlier quake in the Kermadecs - Rangitahua of 7.4 magnitude, and a 7.1 earthquake off East Cape that woke many people shortly before 2.30am.
Māni Dunlop and Susie Ferguson have the latest information.
