A powerful offshore earthquake has been felt throughout the North Island and parts of the South, but there is no tsunami threat.
The magnitude 7.4 jolt struck about ten to one this morning, south of the Kermadec Islands iin waters 700 kilometres northeast of Gisborne It occured at a depth of 33 kilometres. Civil Defence initially told people in coastal areas to stay away from beaches, as a precaution, while it assessed the threat of a tsunami.
Fifty minutes after the quake struck, Civil Defence confirmed there was no tsunami threat to New Zealand.
The American agency that monitors the wider region has also ruled out a tsunami threat for the Pacific Islands.
About an hour before New Zealand's 7.4 shock, a magnitude 5.1 quake struck on the same fault-line in Tongan waters.
GNS seismologist John Ristau speaks to Corin Dann.
