Quake felt like a train going by

Whanganui was shaken by a strong earthquake yesterday afternoon.

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake was centred 25 kilometres southwest of Whanganui at a depth of 18km. It struck at 12.54pm.

The earthquake was preceded by a loud rumbling noise, which many commenters on the Wanganui Chronicle Facebook page likened to a train or truck passing by.

Colvin Molineux was at home when the earthquake struck, and initially thought something had crashed into his house.

"There's no damage except I nearly needed some new pants," Mr Molineux said.

Leila Mallett was in Aramoho and described it as a "pretty good deep shake".

"Heard the rumble which just sounded like the train going by. Next minute a big jolt and then the shaking."

Catherine Hayward thought it was a truck driving down Victoria Ave: "I was at work so had to remain calm and professional. Not a fan of quakes."

Caine Petaera was in the donko at work: "Thought it was a train approaching then shizzam, jolting quake. Little cheap thriller."

Kehi Rori of Maxwell said she didn't like this earthquake: "It made things jump and rattle and my dog took to the hills."

Erana Mohi was at Otoko Pa on State Highway 4.

"Everything seems to be okay ... shake, rattle but no roll."

Jamie Daniels felt it in Gonville: "Bloody loud rumble like a freight train, then the house shook!"

Meanwhile, Joy Clark in Castlecliff was stuck at home with a broken foot.

"I was trying to sit down with crutches and was a bit stranded for what cannot have been more than seconds but felt much longer ... I was wondering how I was going to get out of this one."

Jeanette Garrett said the earthquake "frightened me a bit".

"Quite noisy with things rattling around in the cupboards."

Sharon Elizabeth Phillips said the quake reminded her of being in Christchurch.

"No damage, just a loud sound like a freight train."

The GeoNet website, which records earthquakes and people's experiences of them, said the quake was felt from Taumarunui in the north to Blenheim in the south.

There have so far been no reports of damage.