Civil Defence is still warning of strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges along the West Coast of the South Island urging those between Milford Sound and Puysegar Point to stay away from the water after this afternoon’s now updated 6.8 magnitude earthquake south-west of Tuatapere.

While an earlier tsunami evacuation warning for Fiordland and Southland coastal areas soon after the 2.43pm quake struck has been lifted, Civil Defence says there’s still danger to swimmers, surfers, people fishing and anyone in or near the water close to shore.

People between Milford and Puysegar Point are urged to “move out of the water, off beaches and shore areas and away from harbours, marinas, rivers and estuaries”.

People on boats and at marinas are ordered to leave them and move onto shore and not return unless instructed by officials.

“Don’t go to the coast to watch the unusual wave activity as there may be dangerous and unpredictable surges,” the latest national advisory says.

The situation could continue for several hours, and the threat must be regarded as real until it’s cancelled.

Civil Defence Southland Controller Aly Curd says otherwise people, who had left the coast as a precaution after this afternoon’s tsunami warnings, could return. However, they too were advised to stay away from beaches and out of the water for the next 12 hours with currents and tidal patterns possibly affected, he says. All boaties should also exercise extreme caution.

Thousands of people felt the quake which has now been reassessed as 6.8 magnitude centred off the south-west coast of Tuatapere but Curd says it no longer poses a tsunami threat on the Southland coast.

The earthquake struck at 2.43pm at a depth of 33kms, 160kms northwest of Snares Islands off the southern coast.

The shaking was felt widely felt across Southland.

Shelves were shaking at Tuatapere Four Square with some stock falling off the shelves, owner Mark Hewton says.

“We felt it for about 30 seconds to a minute. It wasn’t violent, quite soft rolling,” he says.

“We don’t have them that size here often. That’s probably only the second or third time in the five years I’ve been here.”

He says nobody seemed worried and rushed for the doorways in the store even though “a few bits and pieces were falling off the shelves”.

“It was more of a talking point for customers.”

The tsunami warning didn’t rattle them in Riverton either where Carriers Arms patrons weren’t going to let cellphone tsunami Emergency Alerts interrupt their Tuesday afternoon beer.

Publican Lisa Neylon says it was “a bloody good shake” felt by all that lasted a good couple of minutes.

Pictures hanging on walls and ceiling fans were definitely swaying as did a truck parked in the pub car park.

”It was fair shaking and the two guys beside it looked a bit surprised,” she says.

People in the pub were laughing when the tsunami alert came up on their phones, she says.

“We didn’t evacuate. Everybody just sat and read the alert message as we were all good. Everybody was just pretty cruisy,” she says.

It was initially reported 30kms southwest of Lumsden with residents as far away as Mataura, over to Dipton, and through to Queenstown noticing the severe shake.

Some reported a long slow roll near Dipton while as far away as Queenstown hanging lights and objects were left swinging markedly.

A second magnitude 5.0 quake was reported nearby – 155km north-west of Snares islands at 3.56pm at a depth of 12km.