Friday, January 21 2005 10:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Wellington: New Zealand was jolted by a sharp earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale today (Jan 21, 2005), continuing a flurry of seismic activity in the lower North Island.

The latest quake, which hit at 07:56 hours local time (00:26 hours IST) was centred just north of the capital city Wellington and felt across the North Island and the top of the South.

There were no immediate reports of injury but shopkeepers said items were knocked off shelves.

On Tuesday, 10 earthquakes were recorded in the same area, with the largest reaching 5.3 on the Richter scale.

Kevin Fenaughty, data centre manager at the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, said there was no need to panic despite the recent activity.

"It's certainly an unusual week in terms of the number we've had and the number which have been of this size which we've felt," he said.

"It could be that there is a fair bit going on - so some things are happening over in the east (of the region) which is causing stress over in the west. A bit like a chain reaction so there is a little bit of settling going on with the plates."