UPDATED 5.02pm: Boaties on the Bay of Plenty coast are being encouraged to check their vessel's moorings following the earthquake off Chile's coast today.
Waikato civil defence said there is the possibility of unusual tidal currents in coastal areas over the next couple of days as a result of energy released by the quake, particularly around harbours and estuaries.
It is not thought there is any significant threat to New Zealand from a tsunami generated by the quake.
EARLIER: The powerful magnitude 8.2 earthquake that has struck off Chile's northern coast is unlikely to have caused a tsunami that will pose a threat to the Bay of Plenty.
The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management made the initial assessment following the quake at 12.47pm New Zealand time.
Officials have ordered an evacuation of coastal areas in Chile before an expected tsunami.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the tremor, which also shook buildings in parts of nearby Peru and Bolivia.