Flurry of earthquakes shakes Big Island

Flurry of earthquakes shakes Big Island

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported today that about 31 small earthquakes struck Kilauea’s Upper East Rift Zone on the Big Island beginning at 6 a.m. and lasting for about 41 minutes.

There were no reports of damages to buildings or structures.

The earthquakes were concentrated about 3 to 4 miles southeast of Kilauea’s summit between Hi’iaka and Ko’oko’olau Craters, officials said in a statement.

The eight largest earthquakes recorded magnitudes between 1.7 and 3.9 at depths of about 1 to 2 miles beneath the earth’s surface, which were too weak to cause any significant damage, according to officials.

At least six of the earthquakes were felt on the Big Island, primarily in the Ka’u and Puna Districts. USGS officials said they received more than 30 reports of weak to light shaking in the area within an hour of the biggest earthquake.

Scientists suspect the size and location of the earthquakes could be related to the ongoing pressurized magma storage beneath the Kilauea summit.

The earthquakes caused no significant changes to the volcano’s ongoing eruptions or ground surfaces, said Tina Neal, HVO Scientist-in-Charge.

 

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