M3.2 Earthquake 8 km N of Naalehu, Hawaii — January 18, 2021
2021-01-18 20:55:33 UTC (2021-01-18) · approx. 10:55 AM UTC-10 local
Felt by 17 people across nearby locations.
On January 18, 2021 at 20:55 UTC, a magnitude 3.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 8 km N of Naalehu, Hawaii, at a depth of -0.3 km and coordinates 19.1465°, -155.5698°. This earthquake was detected by 54 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 164, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 985 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 99 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Hawaii, a region characterized by intraplate volcanic activity over the Hawaiian mantle plume hotspot, with seismicity driven by magma intrusion and flank instability. View all earthquakes in Hawaii.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 17 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-155.5698°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.2 earthquake near Naalehu, Hawaii?
The magnitude 3.2 earthquake that struck 8 km N of Naalehu, Hawaii on January 18, 2021 at 20:55 UTC had a depth of -0.3 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 19.1465°, -155.5698°, which is 8 km N of Naalehu, Hawaii. View all earthquakes in Hawaii.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Hawaii had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Hawaii was the M7.9 Ka'u District earthquake of April 2, 1868. Today's magnitude 3.2 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: hv72324192). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, January 18, 2021). M3.2 Earthquake 8 km N of Naalehu, Hawaii — January 18, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/hv72324192/