Magnitude-3.9 shaker rattles Big Island near Pāhala

A magnitude-3.9 earthquake rattled the Big Island, striking from nearly 20 miles below sea level the night of Oct. 2 in Kaʻū.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported that the shaker struck at 8:28 p.m. Thursday 1 mile south-southwest of Pāhala at a depth of 18 miles.

It had no apparent impact on either Mauna Loa or Kīlauea volcanoes, and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to monitor both for any changes.

Aftershocks are possible in the coming days to weeks.

Instruments reported weak shaking from the temblor while community members who felt the earthquake classified it as moderate shaking. Fortunately, however, no damage to buildings or infrastructure in the area of the quake was expected based on its intensity.

There were more than 39 Felt Reports from around the Big Island within the first half an hour after the earthquake shook.

Nearly 50 were made by shortly before 3 a.m. Oct. 3.

The most Felt Reports came from the Nāʻālehu area, with 17 being submitted from the community about 23 miles southwest from where the quake struck. The second most number of Felt Reports of 6 was submitted from the Mountain View area, about 40 miles northeast from the temblor’s epicenter.

Five Felt Reports were made from the Kailua-Kona area, the third most of those made from around the island, which is about 50 miles northwest from where the quake struck.

According to U.S. Geological Survey data, the farthest away Felt Report came from Honoka‘a, which is about 63 miles slightly northeast away from where the earthquake shook and on the opposite side of the island.

Find additional Felt Report information or report you felt the temblor yourself on the U.S. Geological Survey latest earthquakes website. You can learn more about the earthquake itself here.

Email to askHVO@usgs.gov for any additional questions.

Be aware, however, that U.S. Geological Survey and its offices — including Hawaiian Volcano Observatory — likely will not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted because of the ongoing federal government shutdown.

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News reporter Nathan Christophel contributed to this story.