4.0 Hawaiʻi Island earthquake is part of seismic swarm that began in 2019

There was no tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi following a 4.0 earthquake reported at 3:20 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5, 2022. The earthquake was located about 7 miles east-northeast of Pāhala on Hawaiʻi Island, at a depth of 20 miles below sea level. 

Scientists with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory say the quake was part of a seismic swarm under the Pāhala area, which has been going on since 2019. Earthquakes in this region have been observed at least as far back as the 1960s, according to the HVO.

The HVO reports the earthquake had no apparent impact on either Mauna Loa or Kīlauea volcanoes.   

There were more than 70 felt reports recorded within the first hour of the quake, according to the USGS Did You Feel It? website. All felt reports were on Hawaiʻi Island.

The USGS HVO reports that the most recent magnitude 4.0 or greater earthquakes in Hawaiʻi included the following:

• 2022 Aug. 22—4.0— 6 miles E of Pāhala, Island of Hawaiʻi
• 2022 July 27—4.6—27 miles ESE of Nāʻālehu, Island of Hawaiʻi 
• 2022 May 22—4.7—2 miles NW of Hōlualoa, Island of Hawaiʻi
• 2022 April 15—4.6—6 miles E of Pāhala, Island of Hawaiʻi
• 2022 April 15—4.3—5 miles E of Pāhala, Island of Hawaiʻi