An earthquake rocked Ka‘u early this morning.
An earthquake rocked Ka‘u early this morning.
According to a statement from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory the magnitude-4.5 earthquake struck at 2:18 a.m. The temblor was centered about 8 kilometers (5 miles) north of Naalehu at a depth of 9.7 kilometers (6 miles). A map showing its location is posted on the HVO website at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/seismic/volcweb/earthquakes/.
The earthquake was widely felt on the Big Island. The USGS “Did you feel it?” website (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/dyfi/) received more than 70 felt reports within an hour of the earthquake. Light shaking has been reported across the island. At these shaking intensities, damage to buildings or structures is not expected.
Three aftershocks (magnitudes 1.6, 1.5, 1.4) of the earthquake were recorded as of 3:30 a.m. Additional aftershocks are possible and could be felt.
The earthquake caused no detectable changes in Kilauea Volcano’s ongoing eruptions, on Mauna Loa, or at other active volcanoes. A magnitude-3.1 earthquake that occurred in Kilauea Caldera about one minute before the magnitude-4.5 earthquake was unrelated to the Naalehu event.
For information on recent earthquakes in Hawaii and eruption updates, visit the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov.