Updated 11:01am — Another 5.0 quake has rocked Central New Zealand – on top of another “severe” earthquake earlier this morning.

The new quake struck a few minutes ago and GeoNet estimates it was 5.0 and 18kms deep, out in Cook Strait.

According to GeoNet, the magnitude 5.8 quake occurred at 7.17am and was centred 30km east of Seddon at a depth of 19km.

It was one of a swarm of earthquakes to rattle central New Zealand this morning.

Another “strong” earthquake struck 25km east of Seddon at 7.20am at a depth of 13km, GeoNet said.

Newstalk ZB reporter Felix Marwick says it woke him up, but did not damage anything at his place.

“It just rattled things, made them jump around the shelves.

“I’ve got everything earthquake-fixed. If they weren’t, I suspect things might have moved a hell of a lot further than they did.”

Emergency services had not had any calls relating to the earthquake this morning.

The quake rattled the Ambulance Central Communications Centre in Wellington, prompting staff to dive under their desks.
 
“It felt like it lasted quite a long time and it shock quite a lot of our desks,” said regional team leader Nilsa Surgey.

“It was quite unpleasant.”

Twitter was full of comment about the quake this morning.

“Oh damn that was scary. Crouched in the doorway still shaking,” said Laura Vincent.

Heather McDonald said there was “a lot of rocking and rolling in that one”.

Alastair Thompson: “Its a good thing that we are getting a bunch of severe not too big quakes rather than an actual big one – touch wood.”

Tobias Brockie: “my parents, who live in chch, have both texted me with concern at first and then scornful dismissal in the wake of that quake.”

APNZ Wellington reporter Matthew Backhouse said the whole house shook for about 15 seconds.

“It was pretty scary.’

A KiwiRail spokeswoman said all Wellington trains had been suspended this morning while the fitness of the tracks was assessed.

It was not known when they would reopen.

There have been at least 14 other smaller earthquakes in the same region this morning, and also slight to moderate shakes near Hunterville, Porangahau, Taihape and Te Kaha.

The capital was shaken by a magnitude 5.7 quake on Friday.

– additional reporting Newstalk ZB

– APNZ