UPDATED 3.21PM The east coast of the north island has been rocked by an earthquake this afternoon.

The 5.4 quake hit just after 1.20pm.

It was centred 70 kilometres south east of Porangahau in Southern Hawke's Bay, and was 30 kilometres deep.

Hastings resident Megan Williams says she was sitting in the second story of her home when it hit.

She says she started to feel sea-sick, and she looked up and the lights were swinging.