No Tsunami Threat to Hawaii Following 7.6 Quake in Philippines

Philippines Islands earthquake, Thursday, August 31, 2012. Map courtesy USGS.

By Wendy Osher

There is no tsunami threat to Hawaii following a 7.6 magnitude earthquake overnight in the Philippine islands region.

The incident was reported at 2:48 a.m., and initially generated a watch for the state, which was cancelled less than an hour later.

Officials from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center say some coastal areas in Hawai’i could still experience small non-destructive sea level changes, and strong or unusual currents lasting up to several hours beginning at around 12:28 p.m. today (Friday, August 31, 2012).

According to the US Geological Survey, the quake was centered about 466 miles ESE of Manila in the Philippines; 67 miles east of Guiuan, Samar, Philippines; 110 miles northeast of Surigao, Mindanao, Philippines; and 118 miles east by southeast of Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines.

The depth of the quake was estimated to be 34 km or 21 miles.