More jolts likely after quake

More quakes are expected in Hawke's Bay

A seismologist says Hawke's Bay can expect more quakes after a "severe" earthquake centred off the East Coast rocked the region yesterday morning.

The magnitude 6.6 jolt hit at 11.33am at a depth of 92km, 170km east of Te Araroa, according to GeoNet.

Social media lit up after the event, as local residents reported feeling the quake from Wairoa to Central Hawke's Bay.

Jules Cunningham said: "Constant gentle roll here. Got the fish tank water swaying."

"Yea, felt here in Flaxmere," said Rachel Jenkins.

"My TV started moving and the chair I was sitting on started swaying like in the sea."

The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management issued a national advisory about 12pm, saying there was no tsunami threat to New Zealand as a result of the quake.

GeoNet seismologist Bill Fry said aftershocks could be expected today, though they would be minor. "[Aftershocks] have been going on but the likelihood of strong shaking from aftershocks is very low," Dr Fry said.

A smaller quake also rattled the region, near Waipukurau, on Sunday night. There was not likely to be a causal relationship between the two earthquakes but they were probably "part of the same system," Dr Fry said.

The quake could be an indication of more seismological activity to come.

"With any big earthquake you have a higher likelihood after that earthquake of more earthquakes, but nothing special about this earthquake suggests it's creating a situation more dangerous than any other 6.6 [magnitude] quake."