Pongaroa's sole police officer said an earthquake located near the Tararua town was the largest he had felt in "a long time".

The 5.2 magnitude quake was located 30km south of Dannevirke and 10km north-west of Pongaroa.

Felt from as far away as Christchurch the quake hit at 6.57pm on Thursday with the epicentre at a depth of 30km.

Pongaroa police Senior Constable Dave Kirk said the quake felt like "a couple of good shocks".

He was not aware of any damage in the town at this stage.

"There were two really severe jolts, a couple of the largest jolts I've felt in a long time."

Mr Kirk said the tremor was quite loud but did not last long.

Manawatu Standard readers were quick to share their experiences of the earhquake on Facebook.

Melissa Port said she felt the quake in Milson where her house was shaking and her two-year-old child woke up screaming.

Doug Wilson described it as a "couple of jolts in Ashhurst".

A number of Manawatu residents said the quake was nothing like the magnitude 7 event located off of the South Taranaki coast earlier this month which was felt across the Lower North Island.

Amy Jenkins of Woodville said she barely felt it "but it was really loud". She heard it coming with the quake lasting at least 30 seconds. Her dogs got a bit upset she said.

Did you feel the earthquake? Leave a comment below.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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