Kawerau businesses and residents are cleaning up following a swarm of earthquakes in the early hours of Saturday.

Kawerau Hammer Hardware owner Murray Evans says the quakes have knocked some items off shelves into aisles. Staff are keeping the store open on Saturday for emergency requirements only.

SunLive talked with Murray and staff at the Liverpool Street store at 9.24am. They are busy clearing up the aisles, including a tin of paint that opened and some oil spilt, following a 4.7M quake at 8.58am.

A swarm of quakes between 2.5M and 3.7M have been ongoing since 3.29am.

"We have our fast shoes on ready to run out into the carpark," says a staff member.

The existing crack in the floor. Photo: Carole Meredith.

A crack that was already visible in the floor has appeared to open wider on Saturday morning, but Murray says structurally everything is fine.

"We are not closed, as we are open for emergency services," says Murray.

Kawerau Hammer Hardware is staying open despite the ongoing quakes, so that tradespeople such as plumbers needing emergency supplies can call in.

Kawerau Hammer Hardware staff have stacked items into bins as repeated quakes would otherwise tip them off the shelves again. Photo: Carole Meredith.

Since the phone call with Murray, a 4.2M quake at 9.52am and a 4.1M quake at 9.54am occurred, both about 20-25km west of Whakatane.

Staff member Carole Meredith says a slip happened earlier on the hillside directly opposite the Hammer Hardware carpark.

She filmed fellow staff member Damien Waalwijk who witnessed the slip.

The slip on the hillside opposite Kawerau Hammer Hardware. Photo: Carole Meredith.

"I was biking around here {into the Hammer Hardware carpark], and when the earthquake hit, I heard trees cracking, and I looked up there, and the whole side of the hill just started sliding down," says Damien.

"It was pretty freaky, that's for sure."

"We have recorded more than 40 earthquakes so far, the largest of which have been a M4.8 and M4.6," says GeoNet.

"This swarm is in a similar area to swarms that occurred in 2018 and 2019. Feeling earthquakes close together in time can be unsettling, but this is typical activity for the area, and our team is keeping an eye on things."

Kawerau resident Arthur Carr recorded one of the quakes, posting the footage to Facebook

The slip on the hillside opposite Kawerau Hammer Hardware carpark. Photo: Carole Meredith.

Road closures on SH34 and SH30 through Rotoma Gorge

Waka Kotahi NZTA have traffic management in place due to road slips between Kawerau and Rotoma.

State Highway 34 Kawerau to State Highway 30 Rotoma have multiple slips along the road including through the Rotoma Gorge.

"Due to multiple slips in this area Stop/Go traffic management and speed restrictions will be in place along the highway from Kawerau to the intersection with SH30," says a Waka Kotahi NZTA spokesperson.

"Speed restrictions may be in place along SH30 in the Rotoma gorge.

"Take extra care and expect delays."