HAWAII ISLAND – According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck in the ocean 52 miles north northeast of Honoka’a.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that a destructive tsunami was not produced by the earthquake.

Weak shaking was felt along the Hamakua Coast and Kohala.

The USGS event information for a previously reported magnitude 4.4 earthquake on the shore of Ka’u has been deleted.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued this media release early Friday morning.

MEDIA RELEASE

he U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) recorded a magnitude-4.7 earthquake north of the Island of Hawai‘i and east of the Island of Maui on Thursday, March 31, at 11:16 p.m., HST. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has determined that no damaging tsunami was generated.

According to HVO, this earthquake was centered about 83.6 km (51.9 mi) northeast of Honoka’a, Hawai‘i, and 94 km (58 mi) east of Hāna, Maui, at a depth of 19.6 km (12.2 mi). A map showing its location is posted on the HVO website.

The earthquake was widely felt on the Island of Hawai‘i. The USGS “Did you feel it?” Web site received more than 230 felt reports within an hour of the earthquake. Most of the felt reports were from Hawai‘i and Maui, with a few reports from Moloka‘i and O‘ahu. Moderate shaking (Intensity IV) was reported. At these shaking intensities, damage to buildings or structures is not expected.

As of 1:30 a.m., HST, April 1, no aftershocks of the magnitude-4.7 earthquake have been recorded. Given the size of this event, additional small earthquakes may be recorded in the immediate area in the coming days.

This earthquake is the largest recorded from the same area since the magnitude-5.3 earthquake that occurred in July 2005. In January 1938, a magnitude-6.9 earthquake struck northeast of Maui and was felt statewide. These events are related to tectonic bending of the Earth’s crust due to the weight of the islands.

According to HVO Scientist-in-Charge Christina Neal the earthquake had no apparent effect on Kīlauea Volcano’s ongoing eruptions. “HVO monitoring networks have not detected any significant changes in activity at the summit or along the rift zones of Kīlauea resulting from the earthquake.”

For information on recent earthquakes in Hawaii and eruption updates, visit the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website at hvo.wr.usgs.gov.