No tsunami was generated by an early morning magnitude 4.0 earthquake reported at 4:25 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in the summit region of the Mauna Loa volcano on Hawaiʻi Island, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
The USGS reports that the quake was located:
17 miles E of Honaunau-Nāpoʻopoʻo, Hawaiʻi
28 miles ESE of Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi
37 miles WSW of Hilo, Hawaiʻi
40 miles WSW of Hawaiian Paradise Park, Hawaiʻi
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According to the US Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the earthquake occurred underneath Moku‘āweoweo, Mauna Loa’s summit caldera, at a depth of .74 miles.
The USGS “Did you feel it?” website reported receiving only one report within an hour of the earthquake, consistent with the remote location and shallow depth of the earthquake.
The report described light shaking (Intensity III). At that intensity, damage to buildings or structures is not expected.
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According to the HVO, “deformation monitoring instruments registered the earthquake but show no significant change in deformation rates or patterns that would indicate increased volcanic hazard at this time.”
Magnitude 4 or greater earthquakes occurred in the summit of Mauna Loa six to seven months prior to the volcano’s two most recent eruptions in 1975 and 1984.
However, today’s isolated earthquake does not represent a significant departure from the seismic activity rate for the past year, so the Volcano Alert Level for Mauna Loa will remain at Advisory.
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According to HVO’s Scientist-in-Charge, Christina Neal, the earthquake had no apparent effect on Kīlauea Volcano’s ongoing eruptions. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center determined that no damaging tsunami was generated.
The earthquake this morning appears to be isolated. As of 6:30 a.m., HST, no aftershocks have been observed. HVO’s deformation monitoring instruments registered the earthquake but show no significant change in deformation rates or patterns that would indicate increased volcanic hazard at this time.
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