More than 23,000 people felt a strong earthquake in New Zealand’s lower North Island, with one man saying he heard it coming before he was hit with the big first jolt.

The epicentre of the 5.3 magnitude quake was 10 kilometres east of Eketahuna and 35km deep.

It struck at 11.26pm (9.26pm AEDT) and was felt by people as far north as Doubtless Bay and as far south as Lake Manapōuri.

However, the reports largely centred around the central and lower North Island.

Alison Hetet told Stuff she felt the earthquake strongly at Foxton Beach, describing it as scary.

“It was long and strong. Went on for least a minute,” she said.

She hadn’t noticed any damage, but pictures had rocked off her sideboard.

“Seemed to come on suddenly. Dogs did bark a lot before I felt it,” she said.

Carol Kehely said it came out of the blue.

“A huge roar like a heavy truck then wham,” she said.

“Yet nothing in flat moved. Apart from me and the cat.”

People took to social media after the quake, with one man from Masterton saying it was a “good shake”.

“I heard the bugger coming, then there was one big jolt which made the entire house shake and creak, then a smaller jolt, then that was it,” he said.

Another person said it “felt quite shaky and rocky in Dannevirke”.

There were also two “weak” earthquakes in the North Island earlier in the night.

At 9.56pm there was a magnitude 2.6, at a depth of 10km, 15km east of Stratford and at 10.38pm there was a magnitude 2.4, 6km deep in Masterton.