Dunedin residents have been jolted awake by a short, sharp earthquake this morning

Otago Daily Times is reporting a weak earthquake struck before 1am, about 30 kilometres northwest of Dunedin.

GeoNet listed the scale of the quake as magnitude 3.8 and 5 kilometres deep.

More than 1000 people reported feeling the shaking, ranging from weak to moderate.

One Twitter user described it as bouncy and bloody loud.