Magnitude 6.0 quake strikes Hawaii’s Mauna Loa region

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the western flank of Mauna Loa on Hawaii Island on the evening of May 22, prompting strong shaking across multiple islands but no tsunami threat.

The quake occurred at 9:46 p.m. and was initially recorded as magnitude 5.9 before being upgraded to 6.0 by the US Geological Survey (USGS). It was centered about 8 miles south of Honaunau-Napoopoo and roughly 22 miles south-southeast of Kailua-Kona, at a depth of around 15 miles, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

A magnitude 3.2 aftershock followed the main tremor approximately six minutes later.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that the earthquake did not generate a tsunami, though it noted that some areas may have experienced strong ground shaking.

The tremor was widely felt across the Hawaiian Islands, including Maui and Oahu. The USGS “Did you feel it?” online survey received dozens of immediate reports, including from residents in Lahaina and Mililani.

By Sabina Mammadli