A number of Tauranga residents were woken on Sunday morning by a mysteriously loud bang, and some aren't sure about the official explanation.
Several residents snapped awake at around 3am by a bang which made houses shake.
Some thought it was an earthquake, another said she thought it was a truck crashing into her house.
After some investigation, MetService said it was something more normal.
"There was a thunderstorm in the vicinity at that time (lightning was detected offshore) so that was probably the cause," a spokesperson told a resident in a Facebook message.
But the official explanation has been met with some scepticism.
"Well that was the most strangest thunder I've ever heard if that's what Met Service NZ is telling us," resident Robyn van Bussel wrote on the Tauranga Weather Facebook page.
"I heard it loud and clear... Never heard anything like it but it rained shortly after," Sheree Gee said.
It may be worth pointing out even MetService weren't confident in their explanation - merely saying thunder was "probably" the cause.
Newshub.
