A 5.9 magnitude earthquake has shaken Bay of Plenty.

Photo: Twitter / Geonet

The quake just after 5.30am, was 50 km north-west of Te Kaha at a depth of 115 kilometres.

More than 5000 people reported feeling the shake.

A man in Opotiki said he was said there was a good shake.

"I was fast asleep and I was suddenly jolted awake, it was a very sharp jolt and after the initial jolt there was quite a bit of shaking which seemed to go on for about 20 or 30 seconds.

"Things were definitely rattling, I could hear the cabinet rattling...and the house shaking."

A Gisborne listener, Anna, said people there felt a "good shake" and everyone jumped out of bed.

But she said the jolt did not faze the birds chattering near her home.

Remember in an earthquake to Drop, Cover, and Hold. If the quake was Long or Strong, Get Gone to higher ground or as far inland as possible #eqnz — GeoNet (@geonet) November 23, 2019

On Twitter, Geonet said deeper quakes like this one are often widely felt, especially down the East Coast where the rigid subducting Pacific Plate is good at transmitting seismic energy.