No Damage from 4.9-Magnitude Earthquake at Honomu

An earthquake that struck near Honomu at 10:47 a.m. Saturday was widely felt but caused no reported damage.

James Kauahikaua, scientist-in-charge at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said the tremor measured magnitude 4.9 and occurred at a depth of 27 miles. Earthquakes at that depth occur several times each year in the area and are related to the settling of the island on the oceanic crust. Since 1960, there have been six quakes of magnitude-4 or greater in the area, he said.

The temblor, which occurred in the same general area as the 6.2-magnitude   earthquake that struck in 1973, was felt across the Big Island and on Maui.