Categorized | Earthquake, Featured, News

Morning 4.6 magnitude quake shakes Hawaii Island Sunday (March 20)

MEDIA RELEASE

Magnitude-4.6 earthquake southwest of Waimea, Island of Hawai‘i

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) recorded a magnitude-4.6 earthquake located beneath the Island of HawaiÊ»i on
Sunday, March 20, at 6:43 a.m., HST. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has determined that no damaging tsunami was generated (http://ptwc.weather.gov/?region=2).

According to HVO, this earthquake was centered about 14.0 km (8.7 mi) east of Waikoloa and 19.8 km (12.3 mi) southwest of Waimea, at a depth of 31.8 km (19.8 mi). 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 Island of HawaiÊ»i. The USGS “Did you feel it?” Web site (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/dyfi/) received more than 480 felt reports within an hour of the earthquake. Most of the felt reports were from the Islands of HawaiÊ»i and Maui, with a few reports from OÊ»ahu, over 250 km (155 mi) from the epicenter. Moderate shaking (Intensity V) has been reported. At these shaking intensities, damage to buildings or structures is not expected.

As of 8 a.m., HST, no aftershocks of the magnitude-4.6 earthquake have been recorded.

Over the past 25 years, there have been 4 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 4.0 and at depths greater than 20 km (12 mi) beneath the northern half of HawaiÊ»i Island, including today’s event. Deep earthquakes in this region are most likely caused by structural adjustments within the Earth’s crust due to the weight of the overlying volcanoes.

Adjustments beneath the northern half of Hawai’i Island during past similar events, such as in March 2010, have produced a flurry of earthquakes, with many small aftershocks occurring for days after the main quake. Given this history, it is possible that additional small earthquakes may be recorded in the coming days.

According to HVO Scientist-in-Charge Christina Neal the earthquake had no apparent effect on KÄ«lauea Volcano’s ongoing eruptions. “HVO monitoring networks have not detected any significant changes in activity at the summit or along the rift zones of KÄ«lauea resulting from the earthquake.”

For information on recent earthquakes in Hawaii and eruption updates, visit the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website at hvo.wr.usgs.gov

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