Two strong earthquakes and multiple smaller ones have rattled northern Canterbury this morning.
Geonet said the 5.2 shallow earthquake just after 8am was 'severe'. Photo: GeoNet
Just after 8am, a 5.2 quake hit 20 km south-west of Cheviot at a depth of 12km.
GeoNet said the quake was 'severe'. Hundreds of people from Christchurch through to the lower North Island, reported feeling the quake.
Earlier a 4.7 magnitude quake struck at 5.17am.
That tremor, felt from Christchurch northward to Parnassus, was centred 20km south-west of Cheviot at a depth of 9km.
Multiply quakes around magnitude 3.0 have been recorded in the area since early this morning and are continuing to occur.