Strong 5.3 quake shakes lower North Island, felt by 23,000

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck 10km east of Eketahuna at 11.26pm. Photo / GeoNet.

• A 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck 10km east of Eketāhuna at 11.26pm, 35km deep.
• GeoNet reported “strong” shaking, with 23,000 people feeling the quake.
• The quake was felt across the lower North Island, including Masterton and Palmerston North.

Residents in the lower North Island have been rattled by a “strong” 5.3 magnitude earthquake.

Residents close to the epicentre in Palmerston North said the quake felt like a “truck crashing” through their home and have reported being startled awake by the shaking.

GeoNet said that 23,000 people reported feeling the quake that began at 11.26pm, 10km east of Eketāhuna.

The agency reported on its website that the earthquake struck 35km deep and had a magnitude of 5.3.

It described the shaking as “strong”.

Residents of the lower North Island wrote to Marcus Lush on Newstalk ZB to share their experience with the quake.

“Flippin heck, just had an earthquake here in Masterton ... felt very strong here,” one said.

“Huge shake in Palmerston North,” another wrote.

Other residents took to social media to share their experience with shaking, with one woman saying she awoke with a scream.

“Woke me up from a deep sleep in Palmy North. Gave me such a fright I let out a scream. I thought it was a truck crashing thru my house for a split second.”

A late evening M5.4 shake occurred in the Wairarapa at 11:26PM and was felt widely by those in the lower and central North Island. We have received over 23,000 felt reports. For more detail 👇https://t.co/T7X3WWd9WE pic.twitter.com/9UxA0R4xCd

— GeoNet (@geonet) January 28, 2025

Another person said it “felt like the house shivered”.

GeoNet reported the shaking was felt in many places across the region including Blenheim, Castlepoint, Dannevirke, Eketāhuna, Feilding, French Pass, Hastings, Hāwera, Hunterville, Levin, Martinborough, Masterton, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Ohakune, Opunake, Palmerston North, Paraparaumu, Picton, Pongaroa, Porangahau, Seddon, Stratford, Taihape, Taumarunui, Taupō, Tūrangi, Waipukurau, Wairoa, Waverley, Wellington, Whanganui and surrounding localities.

The agency also reported a smaller quake an hour beforehand at 10.38pm, 5km away from Masterson.

Forty-four people reported feeling the 2.4 magnitude quake and GeoNet described the shaking as “weak”.

More to come