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A strong 5.7 magnitude tremor impacted the largest active volcano in the world, Mauna Loa, located on the Big Island of Hawaii on Friday. Although it overthrew items and caused a blackout in a neighboring town, there were no immediate signs of extensive damage.
The earthquake, which was initially classified as a magnitude of 6.3 by the U.S. Geological Survey and did not generate a tsunami, was positioned on the southern flank of Mauna Loa at a depth of 23 miles (37 kilometers), around 1.3 miles (2 kilometers) southwest of Pahala.
“It really threw us off, making some of us wobble,” according to Derek Nelson, the manager of Kona Canoe Club restaurant in Kona, a coastal area on the western side of the island. “It rattled all the glass in the vicinity.”
The earthquake led to a power outage for about 300 clients in Naalehu, which seemed to stem from the seismic event, said Darren Pai, spokesperson for the Hawaiian Electric Company.
This earthquake took place just after 10 a.m. local time and occurred less than two hours before an unrelated quake of prelimary magnitude 4.6 hit Southern California.
The last eruption of Mauna Loa was in late 2022. The Big Island, the southernmost in the Hawaiian chain, is formed by five volcanoes.
Various factors, such as movement of magma beneath the surface, can trigger earthquakes in Hawaii. According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, on Friday, the probable cause was the Hawaiian Islands exerting weight on the Earth’s crust and upper mantle, leading to tension.
Similar circumstances led to a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in 2006 near Kiholo Bay on the Big Island’s northwest side. That event resulted in infrastructure damage and a blackout as far as Honolulu, on Oahu island, approximately 200 miles (322 kilometers) away.
Helen Janiszewski, from the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Department of Earth Sciences, highlighted that the Hawaiian Islands are located on the Pacific plate and host some of the planet’s largest volcanoes. “This immense mass displaces the Pacific plate just underneath the islands slightly, which sometimes causes earthquakes,” she said. Janiszewski mentioned that such earthquakes often manifest deep within the mantle.
According to the observatory, Friday’s earthquake did not influence Mauna Loa or the adjacent Kilauea volcano.
No direct damage was reported on the telescopes at Mauna Kea, another volcano nearby renowned for its state-of-the-art astronomic observatories.
Jessica Ferracane of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park stated there was no observable damage to the park’s infrastructure. While earthquakes are expected, this particular one was notably “much more intense” than they typically are.
Millions of years of volcanic activity have constructed the Hawaiian Islands. Most of the state’s earthquakes are concentrated around the Big Island. On average, Hawaii experiences an earthquake with a magnitude of 5 or more every 1.5 years, as per the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Home to agriculture, resorts, and a handful of urban areas including Hilo, the Big Island is predominantly rural.
The shake was even felt in Honolulu, with Big Island Mayor Mitch Roth mistaking the sensation for dizziness during a medical check-up. Upon realizing the cause, Roth urgently communicated with emergency management and made plans to return to the Big Island.
Grace Tabios, owner of Will and Grace Filipino Variety Store in Naalehu, explained that jars and goods fell off shelves, and her husband was knocked down on their Pahala coffee farm. However, thankfully, “Some items fell down but didn’t break,” she said.
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The report received contributions from Associated Press writers Mark Thiessen in Anchorage and Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska.
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FAQ
- What was the magnitude of the earthquake that struck Hawaii?
The earthquake was a magnitude 5.7, but initially reported as 6.3. - Did the earthquake cause a tsunami?
No, the earthquake did not generate a tsunami. - Where was the center of the earthquake?
It was centered on Mauna Loa’s southern flank, close to Pahala. - Were there any power outages due to the earthquake?
Yes, about 300 customers in Naalehu were affected by a power outage believed to be related to the earthquake. - Did the earthquake cause any serious damage?
There were no immediate reports of serious damage or impact on the surrounding volcanoes or observatories.
Conclusion
The 5.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Hawaii’s Big Island serves as a reminder of the powerful geological forces at work beneath the island’s surface. While disruptions occurred and the shake was widely felt, the lack of major damage underscores both the resilience of Hawaii’s infrastructure and the preparedness of its residents for seismic events. This incident once again illustrates the dynamic nature of the Hawaiian landscape, shaped by its continuous volcanic activity.
