A "severe" magnitude 5.7 earthquake awakened Wellington, New Zealand, Friday morning, July 19 2013. According to GeoNet, the earthquake was 19km deep and struck 40km east of Seddon in Marlborough.

The earthquake hit Wellington at 9:06 am and it cause buildings in the city proper and the suburbs to wobble for at least 20 seconds, the New Zealand Herald reports.

There were still no reports on the extent of the damages, but the earthquake might have caused alarm to those people who felt it, said a Fire Service spokeswoman.

People took to twitter their shock and panic about the earthquake.

Press reporter Blair Ensor tweeted that "Staff at the Ministry of Justice call centre in Wellington were screaming in the background".

TVNZ reporter Simon Bradwell tweeted, "Strong enough for most to get under their desks, first time I have seen that in over 8 years."

Ashleigh Lambert tweeted that the experience was scary. "Phew, that was the first time I have actually considered getting under my desk for an earthquake.

Fairfax News NZ was able to interview a farmer from South of Blenheim, Lake Grassmere. According to the farmer, Peter Davidson, he had never seen his house wobble that strong. He said he was out looking in the window when he felt the shaking and that his experience of the quake was worse than the 2011 Boxing Day quake. He said that his fishing rods lay scattered around his library and that pictures hanging on his walls were now disorderly.

"It was like being on a bloody rollercoaster. I have never felt anything like it. I have never felt anything like it. It's a wooden house and I have never seen the walls move like this."

Blenheim New World owner Ashley Shore told Fairfax that there were 100 units that fell off the shelves but people seemed not aware of the quake, "The team cleaned it up pretty quickly, and there were actually customers in the aisles who just carried on shopping."

On the other hand, Seddon Supervalue till operator Carrie Rule said that the people doing their groceries were a bit shaken. "She (earthquake) was a good one. We're all still bit shaky but it wasn't too bad, no stock fell off the shelves or anything, but apparently there was a truck in the car park which was shaking back and forth."

The five-storey tallest building in Blenheim, Rangitane House "swayed a bit." Some workers alerted by the quake hid immediately under their desks.

Meanwhile, in Nelson, office workers too dived under their desks.

The coach of the Auckland side was in the shower when the quake happened, "Holy shit! How often do quakes that shake the whole house happen?"