Why do some Hawaii earthquakes occur so far offshore?

Many of the earthquakes in Hawaii that extend offshore and up the island chain are due to plate bending, or flexure. The upper panel shows magnitude-5 and greater earthquakes since 1861, with some notable events labeled. The area of maximum flexural stress is within about 100 km (62 mi) from where the Island of Hawai‘i loads the plate, but also extends about 300 km (186 mi) northward, as far as O‘ahu. The lower graphic is a cross-section depicting how the Hawaiian Islands rest on Earth's lithosphere and cause it to bend. Credit: B. Shiro, USGS HVO.