4.6 earthquake shakes lower North Island in the early hours of this morning

More than 500 people reported feeling the 4.6 magnitude quake in the early hours of this morning. Photo/ Geonet

A magnitude 4.6 earthquake rattled the lower North Island early this morning, jolting locals awake.

The 'weak' quake, which struck 40km south-west of Taumarunui at 1.18am, was originally recorded as a magnitude 4.9 shake but has since been downgraded.

M4.9 quake causing weak shaking near Taumarunui https://t.co/lE4Cvi2X2w

— GeoNet (@geonet) April 8, 2017

It was 205km deep and 541 people reported feeling it on Geonet though most recorded it as light or weak.

People reported feeling it from Napier all the way to the top of the South Island.

"Flip, that was a sharp one," wrote one person on Twitter.

Flip, that was a sharp one. #eqnz

— hot dignity dog (@fauxparse) April 8, 2017

"That was a decent rumble," one Wellingtonian said while in the Wairarapa one local said it was a "wee judder" of a quake.

That was a decent rumble in wellington #eqnz 🙄

— JP Tocker (@jptocker) April 8, 2017

A wee judder of an #eqnz here in #wairarapa

— bustedblonde (@bustedblonde) April 8, 2017