The east coast of the North Island was rattled by earthquakes on Saturday afternoon.

A 4.5 magnitude quake struck just before 1.20pm. It was centred 10 kilometres south of Tokomaru Bay, at a depth of 20 kilometres.

GeoNet says it would have been felt widely throughout the Gisborne region.

It was followed by a 3.7 magnitude quake, 40 kilometres west of Gisborne, ten minutes later at 1.30pm.

There have been quakes in Canterbury and Porirua today also.

– NewstalkZB, WeatherWatch.co.nz