M3.1 Earthquake 7 km E of P?hala, Hawaii — December 16, 2021
2021-12-16 23:38:35 UTC (2021-12-16) · approx. 1:38 PM UTC-10 local
On December 16, 2021 at 23:38 UTC, a magnitude 3.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 7 km E of P?hala, Hawaii, at a depth of 34.0 km and coordinates 19.2098°, -155.4070°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 587 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 78 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Earthquake Details
-155.4070°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.1 earthquake near P?hala, Hawaii?
The magnitude 3.1 earthquake that struck 7 km E of P?hala, Hawaii on December 16, 2021 at 23:38 UTC had a depth of 34.0 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.1 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: hv72836277). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 16, 2021). M3.1 Earthquake 7 km E of P?hala, Hawaii — December 16, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/hv72836277/