UPDATE: Another Strong Earthquake, Still No Tsunami Threat
***Updated 11:29 a.m. and 11:48 a.m.***
A strong earthquake that struck the Aleutian Islands this morning – the second large temblor of the day – did not generate any tsunami threat to Hawaii.
That was according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach, Oahu, which said the second tremor occurred at 10:53 a.m., Hawaii time.
The center initially said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.1, but later upgraded that to 8.0, which was in keeping with initial reports from the US Geological Survey on its Earthquake Hazards website.
It was centered in the Rat Islands at a depth of 57.8 miles.
A shallow earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.2 struck 95 minutes earlier in New Zealand.
Posted 9:48 a.m.:
A 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck in the Kermadec Islands in New Zealand this morning apparently failed to generate a Pacific-wide tsunami, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
The tremor struck at 9:19 a.m. Hawaii time, or 7:19 a.m. Tuesday in New Zealand. It occurred at a depth of 3.1 miles.
The quake was followed by two strong aftershocks that occurred at 7:21 a.m. and 8:06 a.m., local time. The USGS said they registered magnitudes of 6.3 and 6.2, respectively.
The USGS placed the magnitude of the initial New Zealand tremor at 6.9.