Civil Defence is providing an update following the multiple quakes this morning.

Emergency Management Minister Kiri Allan and Civil Defence national controller Roger Ball are providing the update at Parliament. GNS seismologist Bill Fry is also at the conference.

Allan says the evacuation warnings may need to stay in place until sometime this afternoon.

She says the messaging is when it is long or strong, get gone.

"We saw New Zealanders literally adhere to that advice ... they knew to grab their bags.

"This has been a dynamic event, it is constantly evolving."

Allan said all of Opotiki has been evacuated.

"People have done the right things in the regions by picking up and packing up and staying calm."

The advice is for those who have evacuated to stay where they are until the official all clear is given.

Ball says strong and unusual currents are expected in other parts of New Zealand so people need to play it safe and stay off beaches and out of the water.

He urged people not to go sightseeing in coastal areas.

"The severity of currents and surges will vary over the period this morning that the warning is in effect for.

"Tsunami activity will continue for several hours and the threat must be regarded as real until this warning is cancelled."

Current emergency advice overrides the current Covid-19 alert levels, says Ball.

GNS scientist Bill Fry says there was no way the earthquakes today could have been predicted.

The first one came without any significant warning, he says.

"After that, when you see a big earthquake like this we know we're more likely to see another earthquake like that, so we're particularly vigilant.

Fry says he could comment on how the first and the last earthquake are related. The second one was bit more tenuous.

"When we have a big earthquake like the first one at 2am this morning we know in the region it's very proximal to that earthquake - the nearby region it's highly likely to have another earthquake, usually that's not bigger than the first which is what we've seen today but it does happen."

Fry says he has been in NZ for 13 years responding to large earthquakes and tsunamis and this is the first time this particular sequence has happened.

Allan says the warning system that went out this morning was targeted at those areas where there may be risk to life. It was expanded over the day.

"The advice we've received is that the warning system is adequate.

"The NEMA system doesn't operate in isolation, it requires people to carry that information."

EARLIER: Civil Defence are providing an update following the multiple quakes of the coast of New Zealand this morning.

An 8.1M quake in the Kermadec Islands triggered a tsunami warning and the evacuation of the coastal area of Whakatane, including Matata.

Coastal areas west of Matata are being warned to expect strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges near the shore.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says people in the East Coast of the North Island from the Bay of Islands to Whangārei, from Matata to Tolaga Bay including Whakatāne and Opotiki and Great Barrier Island must move immediately to higher ground.

Emergency Management Minister Kiri Allan and National Controller Roger Ball are providing the update at Parliament.