A tsunami warning was issued, which has now been cancelled, but the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) is still advising travellers to stay away from beaches in the affected area.

Britons in New Zealand are advised to follow the advice of the local authorities.

“If a major earthquake or landslide occurs close to shore, you should follow the instructions of local authorities, bearing in mind that a tsunami could arrive within minutes,” the FCO said on its website.

The New Zealand Ministry of Defence & Emergency Management has advice on emergencies in New Zealand, and the US Federal Emergency has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake.

The FCO said the New Zealand government is working to evacuate all tourists from Kaikoura.

It continued on its website: “If you’re visiting remote areas of New Zealand, make sure your journey details are known to local authorities or friends and relatives before setting out.

“Weather conditions can quickly become treacherous, especially in winter.”

Air New Zealand has warned there may be some disruption to travel today.

The airline advises checking its website’s Arrivals and Departures page for up to date information regarding your flight, and recommends travellers sign up to receive travel alert notifications.

The carrier said its contact centre was experiencing a high volume of calls, increasing call wait times.

Air New Zealand is offering travel flexibility on all fare types for customers booked and ticketed up to and including Sunday 13 November 2016 for travel to or from any New Zealand destination prior to and including Monday 21 November 2016.

This flexibility covers both domestic and international flights booked as part of the same ticket. More information can be found on Air New Zealand’s website.