The East Cape was shaken by two earthquakes including a magnitude 4.0 quake just after midnight.
GNS Science said the 20km deep quake struck 105km east of Tolaga Bay, 45km northeast of Gisborne, at 12.05am.
It was felt as far as the Wellington suburb of Karori, according to a report on the GNS website.
The tremor was followed by a shallow magnitude 3.1 quake 10km southeast of Te Araroa, 175km north of Gisborne, at 5.20am.
