Magnitude 6.0 quake shakes Hawaii Island, rattles homes statewide

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake off South Kona rattled Hawaii Island late Friday night and sent shaking across the state, from Hilo to Hanalei, as residents woke to cabinets flying open, pictures crashing down and the question of what might break next.

The quake struck at 9:46 p.m. HST on May 22 about 7 miles south of Hōnaunau-Nāpōopoo, at a depth of 14 miles below sea level. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said it produced maximum shaking rated Modified Mercalli Intensity VII, or very strong shaking, and drew more than 2,662 felt reports within the first hour. The initial magnitude was reported as 5.9 before being upgraded to 6.0.

Scientists said the quake had no apparent impact on Mauna Loa or Kīlauea. The shaking fit a familiar Hawaiian pattern: stress from the bending of the oceanic plate under the weight of the island chain, not direct volcanic activity. Several aftershocks followed, most below magnitude 3, and officials said more could come in the days ahead.

On the ground, the impacts were immediate. About 1,000 Hawaiian Electric customers lost power. Rockslides forced temporary closures on Highway 11, Nāpōopoo Road and Milolii Road, and county crews reopened the roads by 6 a.m. Saturday after clearing debris and boulders as large as 5 feet across. Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno said emergency crews activated right away and worked overnight to restore access and utilities.

By Saturday, county officials had received reports of at least 28 damaged homes. One post-and-pier home in South Kona collapsed off its foundation and was deemed unlivable, with the American Red Cross assisting the renters. Other damage reports included a home in Opihihale shaken off its foundation and a house in Kaohe shifted 3 feet. Residents described cabinets opening, vases and picture frames falling, and one family said its home was knocked off its foundation just three months after it was finished.

Kona Community Hospital in Kealakekua reported minor damage, briefly lost computers and activated its emergency operations center, but remained fully operational and reported no injuries. Hawaii County and Mayor Kimo Alameda urged residents and businesses to report damage so officials could assess whether federal assistance might be available.

The quake landed just ahead of Memorial Day travel, when roads, utilities and visitor routes are already under pressure. For Hawaii, the lesson was less about spectacle than readiness: even a moderate earthquake can expose how vulnerable island communities are when power, roads and communications fail at once. USGS pointed to past damaging events, including the 1975 Kalapana magnitude 7.7 earthquake and the 2006 Kīholo Bay magnitude 6.7 quake, as reminders that the next strong shake is never far from the last one.