Nigel Simpson, group co-ordinator at Hawkes Bay Civil Defence, said reports received from Porangahau indicated the tremor was not as violent as Tuesday's.
He said residents called and told him the shake did not move ornaments or cause any damage.
Mr Simpson said once again it appeared the area got off lightly but the quakes were a reminder that locals needed to be prepared with water, batteries and emergency supplies.
On the other hand, Jeremy from the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel in Porangahau said this afternoon's earthquake lasted about 10 seconds and was the most violent one he had felt.
He told nzherald.co.nz he had not fully assessed the damage to the pub but had to clean up glasses that had smashed.
Maureen Pothan from Beach Marine in Porangahau said today's earthquake felt different from the one she felt on Tuesday.
"It came from the direction of the sea and it was a rolling motion rather than a sharp jolt like the one on Tuesday," she said.
Mrs Pothan said today's tremor did not make objects move in the same way that Tuesday's did.
Rodd Sykes at Chapelwick Bed and Breakfast was feeding his lambs when today's earthquake struck but said by the time he looked up it was over.
He said it lasted for about two or three seconds and its "rocking movement" was not as violent as other tremors this week.
Mr Sykes said he was not overly worried about the frequency of the tremors.
"I'm more curious than anything. The house we're in has been here for 100 years and has been through a lot of earthquakes," Mr Sykes said.
On Twitter, user
robert_nz
said: "Gosh! What a sudden and violent earthquake!"
Advintage Wines
in Havelock North said: "Nothing serious but felt bigger than the one earlier this week here."
One man in central Napier said he only felt a slight jolt - "a sort of hello" - and the quake did not appear to have caused damage where he was.
Meanwhile, a Hastings police spokesman told NZPA: "I was on the third floor and I can tell you it was rocking."
Christchurch aftershock
A short time after the Hawkes Bay quake, another aftershock hit Christchurch.
The magnitude 4 tremor struck at 5.24 pm at a depth of 15 km.
View Christchurch earthquake: Where the land shook in a larger map
A map showing the location of the Canterbury earthquake on Saturday, September 4, 2010 and the subsequent aftershocks.
KEY (how to read the map):
Red markers:
Aftershocks on Saturday
Blue markers:
Aftershocks on Sunday
Yellow markers:
Aftershocks on Monday
Green markers:
Aftershocks on Tuesday
Purple markers:
Aftershocks on Wednesday
Pink markers:
Aftershocks today
