Tremors shake Taupo and surrounding areas

Taupo was shaken by a series of earthquakes last night. Photo/File

A series of earthquakes has rattled residents in Taupo and surrounding areas.

The biggest was a 3.8 magnitude shake 15km north-east of Taupo at a depth of 5km at 10.12pm last night.

According to the GeoNet website four tremors struck in the same area in a space of about 40 minutes.

The first just after 10pm was a 3.2 shake, followed by the 3.8, then a 2.7 at 10.25pm and 2.9 at 10.37pm.

Residents on Facebook described the shake as "rolling" and feeling it as far away as Waikite Valley. One Facebook user described being in the Starlight Cinema in Taupo "when the place started shaking".

Another said they "heard and felt for a long time in Rangatira Park" and another felt it in Acacia Bay.​

But GNS Science volcanologist Dr Geoff Kilgour said the quakes didn't warrant any heightened monitoring.

While GeoNet recorded many quakes in that area, those that struck last night were larger than the normal range of between magnitude 2 and 3, he said.

"As for the cause of them, they're basically located in a pretty active area of the country, just north of Taupo, where there's a lot of faults and action: so it's not unsual that we see quakes there at all."