New Zealand hit by 5.8 earthquake causing tremors on the north and south island 

New Zealand has been rocked by its biggest earthquake this year, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in the heart of the country.

The strong earthquake was centered just outside the Marlborough Sounds between the North and South Islands, scaring Kiwis at 9:07 p.m. Thursday.

There are no immediate reports of serious damage.

More than 44,000 Kiwis reported the quake to monitoring agency GeoNet, while others reported their experiences on social media.

‘I’m on the 3rd floor in Wgtn (Wellington) city at a reunion. We’re crazy,” Twitter user Sally-ann wrote.

“I was almost ducking under the small coffee table for that,” said another.

‘Jesus! I knocked a painting off the wall,” Pearl wrote.

Jeff Tollan described his experience in a rooftop bar in Wellington.

“Drag bingo at Dirty Little Secret when an earthquake happens. The host asks ‘do you want us to stop,'” he tweeted.

‘Everyone says ‘no’, and life goes on…’

The depth was measured 51 km below sea level.

“Maybe you felt that shock!” GeoNet’s Twitter account posted.

Caused by a M5.8 earthquake in the Marlborough region. It was moderately deep and felt over a wide area – typical for earthquakes of this size and depth.’

Based on GeoNet reports, Kiwis felt the earthquake most strongly in the capital, on the Kapiti coast of the North Island and along the top of the South Island.