A magnitude 5.4 earthquake shook New Zealand’s North Island on Friday morning, with light to moderate shaking felt across large parts of the country. The quake struck at 8:29 a.m. NZDT, around 10 kilometres southwest of Waverley in South Taranaki, at a depth of 107 kilometres, according to official seismic data from GeoNet.

GeoNet received more than 14,000 “felt it” reports within a short period, indicating the tremor was widely experienced well beyond the epicentre. People reported feeling the quake in areas including Blenheim, Hamilton, Wellington, and other parts of the central and lower North Island.

Because the earthquake occurred deep underground, the shaking was described by many as a rolling or swaying motion rather than a sharp jolt. Near the epicentre, shaking was generally classified as light, and there have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Some residents shared their experiences online, with one South Island writer describing the quake as “quite noisy but not a lot of shake,” while others further north joked about stronger shaking despite being far from the main impact zone.

Key earthquake details

• Magnitude: 5.4
• Time: 8:29 a.m. NZDT
• Depth: 107 km
• Location: 10 km southwest of Waverley, South Taranaki
• Felt reports: 14,000+

Authorities urge preparedness

Emergency authorities are reminding New Zealanders to remain prepared for earthquakes and possible aftershocks. Standard advice includes practising “Drop, Cover, and Hold” during shaking and securing heavy furniture where possible.

New Zealand sits along a highly active tectonic boundary, meaning earthquakes of varying size are a regular occurrence. Residents are encouraged to follow official updates through trusted monitoring services such as GeoNet.