A 5.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of the East Cape has been felt in Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay regions, GNS Science says.
The quake, centred 150km east of Ruatoria at a depth of 12km, struck just before 5pm.
But there were no reports of any damage and no tsunami warning has been issued.
Gisborne civil defence spokesman Richard Steele said he had spoken to people in Ruatoria and they didn't feel the quake because it was so far offshore.
NZN