A ''severe'' earthquake shook Western Southland last night.
About 6.15pm, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake classed as ''severe'' struck 140km west of Tuatapere at a depth of 10km.
It was followed about 15 minutes later by a smaller 4.4 magnitude quake, 85km west of Tuatapere at a depth of 8km.
Southland district councillor George Harpur, a Waiau Aparima ward councillor, said the quakes were ''just enough to rock the wine in the wine glass''.
''The house creaked a wee bit, but nothing serious,'' he said.
''It was nothing too serious at all. If you were doing something else ... you probably wouldn't have even felt it.''
His assessment was shared by fellow Waiau Aparima ward councillor Stuart Baird, who said: ''I didn't feel a thing. I was on the tractor.''
Waiau Hotel owner Quinton Donald said the area's residents were used to earthquakes and last night's shakes were not a major cause for concern.
''There was a shimmer at the start, then quite a quake and then another shimmer at the end,'' he said.
''There was one real long shake. It rolled on shaking away for 30 seconds.''
A Fire Service spokesman said it received no reports of damage.
Southern District Command Centre deployment co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Brian Benn said police had received no service calls in relation to the quakes.
