Yesterday afternoon, a magnitude-3.5 earthquake occurred 14 miles west-northwest of the village of Maunaloa on Molokaʻi at a depth of 5 miles below sea level.

The earthquake had no apparent impact on either Mauna Loa or Kīlauea volcanoes.

The shallow earthquake occurred beneath the Kaiwi channel, and was widely felt on Oʻahu and Molokaʻi. Earthquakes in this region are not common but have occurred occasionally in the past 200 years.  These earthquakes are caused by bending of the crust beneath the islands and associated adjustments related to the weight of the islands.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to monitor Hawaiian volcanoes for any changes.