A magnitude-4.5 earthquake that struck north of Naalehu early Saturday that was felt islandwide.
The earthquake was recorded at 2:18 a.m. and was centered 5 miles north of Naalehu, according to Wes Thelen, U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Seismic Network manager. It had a depth of 6 miles.
The earthquake felt across the Big Island with more than 80 reports of having felt the temblor by 5 a.m. Saturday. Seventy of those reports came within an hour of the earthquake.
Light shaking has also been reported across the island, however, damage to buildings or structures is not expected.
Three aftershocks, magnitudes 1.6, 1.5, 1.4, were recorded as of 3:30 a.m., the USGS said. Additional aftershocks are possible and could be felt.
During the past 30 years, the area north of Naalehu has experienced six earthquakes, including Saturday’s event, with magnitudes greater than 4.0 and at depths 3.1 to 8.1 miles. This area of Kaʻu is a seismically active region where a magnitude-6.2 earthquake occurred in 1919. Areas adjacent to Saturday morning’s event experienced earthquakes of magnitudes 6.0, 7.1, and 7.9 in 1868.
The depth, location, and recorded seismic waves of Saturday’s earthquake suggest a source on the large fault plane between the old ocean floor and overlying volcanic crust, a common source for earthquakes in this area.
The earthquake caused no detectable changes in Kilauea Volcano’s ongoing eruptions, on Mauna Loa, or at other active volcanoes on the Big Island. 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.