Quake wakes up Wellington

Photo/GeoNet

Wellingtonians were woken by shaking this morning as a 3.8 quake rattled central New Zealand.

The earthquake described by one as a "short sharp jolt" struck at 5.49am at a depth of 48km, 10km north west of the capital.

Almost 2500 people reported feeling the quake on GeoNet's website, with some taking to social media.

"Thanks that was better then a morning coffee I'm wide awake now," one person wrote on Twitter.

While the majority of the reports said the tremor was light, more than 200 people said it was strong or moderate.

M3.7 quake causing weak shaking near Wellington https://t.co/cacOnFe1KQ

— GeoNet (@geonet) June 23, 2017