The US Geological Survey on Wednesday reported a 6.2-magnitude earthquake off New Zealand's southern coast, near the mostly uninhabited Auckland Islands.

New Zealand's GeoNet monitoring agency said the epicentre was 33 kilometres (21 miles) below the earth's surface. There was no immediate tsunami warning and no reports of damage on the New Zealand mainland.

A city council official from Invercargill -- the nearest sizable city -- said there had been no reports of the earthquake being felt there or damage to infrastructure.