Intensity of Loihi Seamount quake Saturday (Nov 24) updated to 4.3 magnitude

MEDIA RELEASE

An earthquake of magnitude-4.3 was recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on November 24, 2012 at 17:59 HST. The earthquake was located about 7 km (4 miles) east-northeast of Lōʻihi seamount at a depth of 17 km (11 miles). No aftershock were recorded within the first 12 hours of the earthquake. The earthquake was felt across the Island of Hawai`i.

Lōʻihi seamount is an active volcano situated on the sea floor south of Kīlauea Volcano about 30 km (19 miles) from the shoreline of the Island of Hawaiʻi. The seamount is 969 m (3,180 feet) below sea level.

Lōʻihi seamount was the site of a flurry of earthquakes December 6 and 7, 2005. Over 100 earthquakes were located by HVO; the largest was a magnitude-3.5. There was also a magnitude-4.7 earthquake on January 18, 2006.

Two earthquakes occurred in 2005 beneath Lōʻihi—a magnitude-5.2 earthquake on July 17 and a magnitude-5.1 event on May 13. These two earthquakes are the largest recorded in the general Lōʻihi region since a magnitude-4.9 earthquake occurred on September 13, 2001.

In July 1996, during a large earthquake swarm, more than a thousand events were located beneath the Lōʻihi area. Between July 27–28, 1996, nearly 700 events were recorded during a 24-hour period. After the swarm, scientists on submersible dives to Lōʻihi concluded that the earthquakes were accompanied by a significant collapse of the summit area and an apparent eruption.

Despite being felt island-wide, there were no observable affects on other volcanoes. Daily updates about KÄ«lauea’s ongoing eruptions, recent images and videos of summit and east rift zone volcanic activity, and data about recent earthquakes are posted on the HVO website at hvo.wr.usgs.gov.

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