USGS HVO Press Release — Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake southeast of the Island of Hawai‘i
The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) recorded a magnitude 5.3 earthquakelocated southeast of the Island of Hawai‘i on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, at 2:12 p.m., HST.
The magnitude was initially estimated at 5.6, but more detailed seismic analyses resulted in a final magnitude of 5.3.
The earthquake was located 50 km (31 mi) south of Kalapana, at a depth of about 40 km (25 mi). A map showing the location of the earthquake is posted on the HVO website at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/seismic/volcweb/earthquakes/.
According to Wes Thelen, HVO's Seismic Network Manager, the earthquake was located 20 km (12 mi) east of Lō‘ihi, but does not appear to be associated with the submarine volcano. "The earthquake was most likely a structural adjustment of the Earth's crust due to the weight of Hawai‘i Island on the underlying mantle," he said.
HVO's seismic records show that another earthquake of similar magnitude and depth occurred in this same general area in 2005.
The earthquake was widely felt on the Island of Hawai‘i, with a few felt reports from as far away as O‘ahu. The USGS "Did you feel it?" website (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/dyfi/) received more than 400 felt reports within the first hour of the earthquake.
At the time of this release, no aftershocks had been recorded.
HVO geologist Tim Orr says that the earthquake had no apparent effect on Kīlauea's ongoing eruptions. "HVO monitoring networks have not detected any significant changes in activity at the summits or rift zones of Kīlauea or other Hawaiian volcanoes."
For 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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