The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) recorded a magnitude-4.3 earthquake on Friday, April 15, at 01:58:25 a.m., HST, followed eight seconds later by a magnitude-4.6 earthquake located south of the Island of Hawai‘i at 01:58:33 a.m., HST.

The magnitude-4.3 earthquake was centered about 5 miles northeast of Pāhala, at a depth of 21 miles. The magnitude-4.6 earthquake was centered about 6 miles northeast of Pāhala, at a depth of 20 miles slightly to the southeast of the first earthquake.

Strong shaking, with maximum Intensity of VI on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, has been reported across parts of the Island of Hawai‘i. At that intensity, significant damage to buildings or structures is not expected. The USGS “Did you feel it?” service (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/dyfi/) received over 400 felt reports within the first hour of the earthquakes.

According to HVO geophysicist, Jefferson Chang, these earthquakes had no apparent effect on Kīlauea or Mauna Loa volcanoes. In a statement Chang said, “This earthquake appears to be part of the seismic swarm under the Pāhala area, which has been going on since 2019. Earthquakes in this region have been observed at least as far back as the 1960s (https://www.usgs.gov/news/volcano-watch-why-do-so-many-deep-earthquakes-happen-around-pahala). We see no detectable changes in activity at the summits or along the rift zones of Mauna Loa or Kīlauea as a result of these earthquakes. Please be advised that aftershocks are occurring and some of these may be large enough to be felt.”

HVO continues to monitor Hawaiian volcanoes for any changes.

A map showing the location is posted on the HVO website at http://usgs.gov/hvo.

More details are available at the National Earthquake Information Center website at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/hv72984557 (M4.3) and https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/hv72984552 (M4.6).

For information more visit the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website at  http://usgs.gov/hvo/.