M 4.7 Earthquake Rattles Offshore Maui

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory recorded a magnitude-4.7 earthquake located offshore of the island of Maui on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, at 12:51 a.m.

The earthquake was centered about 6 miles north-northeast of Wailua at a depth of 25 miles below sea level. A map showing its location is posted on the HVO website at https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo. More details are available at the National Earthquake Information Center website at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/hv72889347.

Weak to light shaking, with a maximum instrumental intensity of IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, and has been reported widely across Maui and as far away as the islands of Hawai‘i and Oʻahu. At that intensity, no damage to buildings or structures is expected. The USGS “Did you feel it?” service (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/dyfi/) received over 475 felt reports within the first hour of the earthquake.

According to HVO Scientist-in-Charge, Ken Hon, the earthquake had no observable impact on Hawaii’s active volcanoes.

“This earthquake was located off the coast of Maui at a depth indicative of oceanic plate bending due to the weight of the islands,” Hon said. “This is a common source for earthquakes in this area and is not related to volcanic activity. Webcams and other data streams show no impact on Mauna Loa or Kīlauea.”

HVO officials say aftershocks are possible and may be felt. HVO continues to monitor Hawaiian volcanoes for any changes. The Alert Levels/Color Codes remain at WATCH/ORANGE for Kīlauea, ADVISORY/YELLOW for Mauna Loa, and NORMAL/GREEN for Haleakalā at this time.

For information on recent earthquakes in Hawaiʻi and eruption updates, visit the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo.