4.6 magnitude earthquake shakes Kona coast near Kahaluu-Keauhou

More than 121 people told the U.S. Geological Survey they felt a magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 4 miles west-northwest of Kahaluu-Keauhou at 5:58 p.m. Tuesday, with shaking reported across the Island of Hawaii and one felt report from Maui. The quake hit 21 miles below sea level, and officials said there was no tsunami threat or immediate damage.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the quake’s depth, location and recorded seismic waves point to bending of the Pacific plate under the weight of the Hawaiian Island chain, a common source of earthquakes in this part of the Kona coast. The agency said the shaking was moderate and could cause light damage, but it noted no apparent impact on Hualālai, Mauna Loa or Kīlauea.

Aftershocks are possible in the coming days to weeks, HVO said, and the agency continues to monitor Hawaiian volcanoes for any changes. If another jolt hits, USGS says to Drop, Cover and Hold On until the shaking stops.

The latest shakeup came less than two weeks after a magnitude 6.0 earthquake on May 23 on the western flank of Mauna Loa, about 35 kilometers southeast of Kailua-Kona. USGS said that larger quake was caused by oblique reverse faulting at a depth of 22.6 kilometers and was not directly related to magma movement, a reminder that south Kona sits in one of the island’s most active tectonic zones. This latest quake fits that same pattern of routine island geology, but the back-to-back events are worth watching as the western side of Hawaii Island keeps moving under the strain of the island chain itself.