Two earthquakes rumble across New Zealand overnight

Two separate earthquakes have rattled across New Zealand overnight, waking people in Wellington and Canterbury.

The first quake was in the Wellington region at 1.07am, 12km deep and rating as a magnitude 3.7.

Despite only being rated as 'weak' by GeoNet, it was enough to wake several people up.

Twitter user Kevin Sweeney called it a "quick jolt", while Megan Whelan wrote: "Yes, because what we need now is an earthquake."

Another quake struck at 4.28am, around 10km northwest of Culverden in Canterbury.

That quake was around 10km deep and magnitude 5.1, with GeoNet rating it as 'strong'.

"My cockatiels in Rolleston felt that," Twitter user alikatchch wrote.

Almost 700 people reported feeling the quake on GeoNet, largely reporting weak to moderate shaking.