[Source: GNS Science]

A 5.4 magnitude quake struck 125km east of Te Araroa off East Cape at a depth of 12km just after 10.30am.

GNS Science describes it as a light earthquake.

There have been a series of aftershocks overnight with most in the range of magnitude three to four.

There were two at close to 1am, five at close to 5am and two at close to 7am.

These quakes were marked either as weak or unnoticeable.

Geonet said there was a 4.4 quake 150km east of Te Araroa just before 6.45am and a 4.7 shake 135km east of the township just before 8am.

GNS seismologist Dr Matt Gerstenberger said the continuing earthquakes are normal but people should still stay vigilant about the danger of a tsunami.

He said about 100 quakes greater than magnitude four have been recorded around Te Araroa and at the Kermadec Islands since the three major quakes yesterday.

Dr Gerstenberger said the most likely scenario in the next 30 days is that further quakes of smaller magnitude will occur – and less often.

“We had fairly substantial large earthquakes that occurred yesterday and they set set things up in the crust and the crust settles down and you have lots of smaller earthquakes as that happens.”