Aftershock shakes Canterbury

Clayton Cosgrove. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A magnitude 4 earthquake was felt in Christchurch today, as Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove was discussing earthquake recovery during a live television interview.

Mr Cosgrove was being questioned by Sean Plunket on TV3's The Nation and had to ask for the question to be repeated because he hadn't been able to hear it when the quake struck.

He said it was the sort of jolt that made people wonder whether they should be taking cover.

GNS Science said the quake struck at 11.21am, within 5km of Lyttelton, at a depth of 6km.

- NZPA