New Zealand has been rattled by a quake.

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake has struck near Paraparaumu, north of Wellington, on Thursday.

The quake happened shortly before 9pm at a depth of 54 kilometres.

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More than 10,000 people reported feeling the quake.

Andrew from Upper Hutt said he "heard the whole house move".

"I thought what the hell is that? It gave me a helluva shock - it was certainly a good one."

Andy Wilson from Pukerua Bay said it sounded like a train was coming:

"[There was ] not that much shaking, but the noise was incredible."

The earthquake was also felt acoss the Cook Strait, with Guy Wallace in Picton reporting that, "it was very loud and went on for a long rumble, I couldn't believe it was [first] categorised as a 'weak' quake."

"No known damage - just surprised at the original rating from Geonet of 'weak'. Dogs barked and howled in neighbourhood before quake hit," he added.

Across the bay in Motueka, Muriel Moran said it rattled her chimney:

"It rattled for several seconds before I felt the movement."