Regional Civil Defence centres say people should be taking advice about tsunami warnings only from the national advisory centre, rather than other sources. Newzland Earth quake

Civil Defence headquarters in Wellington issued an official tsunami warning just before 8am on Thursday following a 7.6-magnitude earthquake off the Kermadec Islands.

The quake occurred at 7.03am (local time), 160km east of Raoul Island at a depth of 20km, prompting a warning from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii.

Civil Defence cancelled the warning in New Zealand about 9am. When the wave eventually did hit the country's coast, it was barely noticeable.

Gisborne emergency services manager Richard Steele says there was a rise of about 20 centimetres detected at the East Cape. Read More:http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/79416/plea-to-follow-civil-defence-advice-on-tsunami