USGS HVO Press Release — Magnitude-4.1 earthquake on Kīlauea Volcano's south flank
The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) recorded a magnitude-4.1 earthquakelocated beneath Kīlauea Volcano's south flank on Friday, February 12, 2016, at 9:23 a.m., HST. According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, there is no tsunami threat from this earthquake.
The earthquake, which was widely felt on the Island of Hawai‘i, was located about 7.7 km (4.8 mi) west of Kalapana and 7.5 km (4.7 mi) southeast of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, at a depth of 8.3 km (5.1 mi). A map showing the location of the earthquake is posted on HVO's website at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/seismic/volcweb/earthquakes/.
The USGS "Did you feel it?" website (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/dyfi/) received 156 felt reports within the first hour of the earthquake. The maximum intensity of shaking reported by Island of Hawai‘i residents was IV on the Mercalli Intensity Scale, indicating light shaking.
There have been no aftershocks following this morning's magnitude-4.1 earthquake.
Kīlauea's south flank has been the site of 28 earthquakes of magnitude-4.0 or greater during the past 25 years. Most are caused by abrupt motion of the volcano's south flank, which moves to the southeast over the oceanic crust as a result of magma being injected into the East Rift Zone. The location, depth, and waveforms recorded as part of today's earthquake are all consistent with slip along this south flank fault.
According to HVO Scientist-in-Charge Christina Neal the earthquake had no apparent effect on Kīlauea Volcano's ongoing eruptions. "HVO monitoring networks have not detected any significant changes in activity at the summit or along the rift zones of Kīlauea or at other Hawaiian volcanoes resulting from the earthquake." HVO geologists working near the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō cone this morning reported feeling the earthquake, but noted no change in the eruption.
For more information on recent earthquakes in Hawai‘i and eruption updates, visit the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website at hvo.wr.usgs.gov.
Daily updates about ongoing eruptions, recent images and videos of summit and East Rift Zone volcanic activity, maps, and data about recent earthquakes in Hawaii are posted on the HVO website at https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo.
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