Earthquakes continue to rumble Rotorua and BOP

1.00pm

Another earthquake has rattled Rotorua.

It struck 30 kilometres north east of the city just before midday, measuring three on the Richter scale.

It is the fourth quake to rock the region over the past 20 hours.

Rotorua District Council's Charles Roberts says they are monitoring the situation very carefully.

He also says assessors are at Lake Rotoma assessing the damage to houses caused by yesterday's earthquakes.

Around 10 people spent the night at the Rotoma Community Hall after being evacuated from their homes.

Mr Roberts says they are still evaluating the cost of the damage caused.

He says engineers are checking out roads and infrastructure in the area.

Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoma Schools are closed today.

The Council is also encouraging anyone at Rotoma with damage to their homes to contact them.

Meanwhile, Tauranga Police have released the name of the woman killed by an earthquake on Pyes Pa Road yesterday afternoon.

She was 55-year-old Marilyn Robinson of Rotorua.

Ms Robinson was killed after a series of earthquakes caused a tree to collapse on top of three vehicles at around 4 o'clock.

Two other people received moderate injuries.

It is expected Pyes Pa Road will be open this afternoon after contractors spent the morning removing unstable trees from the area.

Meanwhile, a Rotorua police search and rescue team has gone into the Urewera Ranges by helicopter this morning to look for an overdue hunter near the Horomanga Stream catchment.

Senior Sergeant Dave Donaldson says they are concerned about his safety.

The team is also flying over the Whakatane River Catchment to look for a party of three overdue trampers.

Senior Sergeant Donaldson says State Highway 30 between Rotorua and Whakatane is open but police are urging people to use it as a last resort only, due to slips which are blocking parts of the road.

- Newstalk ZB