A shallow earthquake has rattled the Bay of Plenty this afternoon.

The quake registered 3.3 on the Richter scale and was had a focal depth of 5km.

GNS Science reports it was centred about 10km north-west of Matata and struck around 1.15pm.

This is the fourth earthquake to be felt in the Bay of Plenty this week, with three others reported in the Kawerau area.

For more on those quakes read Quakes expected to continue