Wairarapa earthquake: Magnitude 4.1 quake strikes west of Masterton
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake rattled the lower North Island on Monday evening.
More than 3500 people reported feeling the quake, which struck 5km west of Masterton at 9.23pm, according to GeoNet.
It struck at a depth of 17km and was classified as causing moderate shaking.
Locals took to social media after the quake, describing it as short and sharp.
One person said they felt “two big jolts” after initially thinking it was the wind, while another reported “two loud thumps” that felt like a truck hitting the side of their house.
In Upper Plain, Masterton, a resident described a “loud, violent jolt”.
Another person said their house felt as though it had been hit by a train.
In Lansdowne, one resident said the quake appeared to come in “two waves”, while another said their house creaked before a short wobble.
Farther north, a Dannevirke resident said it felt “like a freight train going past the door at speed”.
The quake followed a magnitude 5.1 tremor off the North Island’s East Coast earlier on Monday afternoon.