Earthquake swarm: 5.4 magnitude aftershock hits east coast

A 5.4 magnitude quake struck 125km east of Te Araroa at a depth of 12km just after 10.30am. File photo / Michael Craig

By RNZ

The east coast of New Zealand has this morning experienced the strongest aftershock following yesterday's earthquakes.

A 5.4 magnitude quake struck 125km east of Te Araroa at a depth of 12km just after 10.30am.

GNS Science describes it as a light earthquake.

There have been a series of aftershocks overnight, most in the range of magnitude 3 to 4.

There were two at close to 1am, five around 5am and two around 7am.

Those quakes were marked either as weak or unnoticeable.

Geonet said there was a 4.4 quake 150km east of Te Araroa just before 6.45am and a 4.7 shake 135km east of the township just before 8am.

The agency said the most likely scenario in the next 30 days is that further quakes of smaller magnitude will occur - and less often.

- RNZ