A magnitude 5 earthquake was felt in the North Island early this morning, but at a depth of 159 kilometres it was classed as a weak one.

It was centred 30 kilometres east of Tauranga, and hit at 12.31am.

Nine hundred people, mainly on the eastern side of the North Island and in the Wellington region, reported feeling the shake, through the government's GeoNet website.

A magnitude 5 earthquake hit 30km east of Tauranga at 12.31am at a depth of 159km. Image: Screengrab/Geonet.

RNZ