New Zealand rocked by 6.1-magnitude earthquake

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake has rocked parts of New Zealand, including Wellington, just days after a cyclone wreaked havoc on the country.

New Zealand’s capital Wellington has been shaken by a strong earthquake on Wednesday, with residents reporting feeling a sudden jolt and buildings quivering.

GeoNet reports it was a 6.1-magnitude quake hit north of Wellington at 7.38pm NZDT.

“A big shake there! A magnitude 6.0, 57 km deep, 50 km north-west of Paraparaumu was widely felt in the North Island,” said New Zealand’s Civil Defence agency.

Princess Anne, who is currently visiting Wellington, is likely to have felt it.

Princess Anne is in Wellington, having travelled to New Zealand at the request of the NZ Army's Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals. Picture: Getty Images

Residents reported feeling the ground shaking for 10-20 seconds, likening it to a convoy of giant trucks rolling by.

Some described it as “massive” and “scary”, reports NZ Herald.

More than 60,000 people in both the North and South Islands reported feeling the quake, including in Auckland and Christchurch, the outlet said.

A South Taranaki woman said she had to hold ornaments from being thrown from shelves.

“It was terrifying, it started with a huge jolt,” she said.

The 65-year-old said it was the worst quake she could remember.

Others who spoke to News Corp told of a panicked rush to stand under doorways.

“It was a massive shake,” one father said after comforting his children.

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake has hit near Wellington, in New Zeeland's North Island.

There have been no immediate reports of damage, and no tsunami warning has been issued.

The quake came as the cleanup gets underway from a devastating cyclone, which killed four people and caused widespread damage across the North Island.

“It is already a really stressful time for people – look after yourself and the people around you,” said the civil defence agency.

Residents in Levin, Porirua, French Pass, Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, Wellington, Whanganui, Waverley, Palmerston North, Feilding, Picton, Eketahuna, Masterton, Martinborough, Hunterville, Hawera, Blenheim, Seddon, Nelson, Dannevirke, Pongaroa, Stratford, Opunake, Taihape, Castlepoint, Motueka, Ohakune and surrounding localities may have felt the quake.

A short time later a magnitude 4.0 earthquake hit 45km southwest of Taumarunui and at a depth of 78km.

- Additional reporting from AFP