AN earthquake off the Indonesian archipelago has been felt in Darwin.

The epicentre of the 5.7 magnitude quake was about 600km north of Darwin in the Banda Sea.

Darwin residents reported feeling the tremors just before 12.30pm on Sunday.

Most reports came from the northern suburbs, but people in the Rural Area and as far south as Batchelor also felt tremors.

Jocelyn Montesino Johnson had her lazy Sunday afternoon interrupted when her Johnston apartment building began to shake.

She said the shaking was violent enough to knock her water bottle off the bed frame.

“I’d say it went on for about five seconds and after that just smaller trembles,” she said.

“I ran outside, down to the pool area just in case. You just didn’t know if it was going to get worse.

Ms Johnson spent years in the Philippines where she experienced several stronger quakes, but this was her first in Darwin.

There are no tsunami alerts for Australian waters.