White Island earthquake unrelated to volcano

A photo from GeoNet's camera on White Island taken at 8.40am today, seven minutes after the quake, does not appear to show an eruption at the crater. Photo / GeoNet

An earthquake recorded 110km north of White Island was not related to any activity on the island.

According to GeoNet, a severe quake hit just after 8.30am at a depth of 30km - 110km north of White Island.

It was initially recorded as being of 'intense severity', which had now been revised to 'moderate'.

GNS Science volcanologist Brad Scott said while the volcano was linked to the same tectonic plate boundary processes that caused earthquakes, the area where this morning's quakes were recorded were well beyond White Island.

"These earthquakes are occurring about 100km away from White Island and are therefore not likely to be at all to be associated with the volcano."

GeoNet images of White Island's crater floor this morning did not appear to show any unsettled activity on the volcano.

The quake followed a more minor 2.4 magnitude shake just a few kilometres south-west of the island shortly after 5am today, which had a depth of 9km.

Duty Volcanologist Michael Rosenberg said because the earthquake was a "significant distance" away from White Island there was very little chance of the volcano erupting, and there was no cause for concern.

"The ground motion from the distance is not likely to upset the volcanic system at White Island."

Bill Fry, a seismologist with GNS Science, said locally it would have been "quite strong" but on-land in New Zealand it was not.

"There were a few light felt reports, the shaking wasn't damaging certainly in New Zealand.

"If you were off in the ocean 200km you probably would have felt a good shake."

- additional reporting NZME. News Service