M3.9 Earthquake 6 km S of P?hala, Hawaii — October 14, 2022
2022-10-14 20:12:56 UTC (2022-10-14) · approx. 10:12 AM UTC-10 local
On October 14, 2022 at 20:12 UTC, a magnitude 3.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 6 km S of P?hala, Hawaii, at a depth of 10.6 km and coordinates 19.1457°, -155.4863°. The earthquake was reported felt by 7 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 4.6 (moderate). The nearest populated place is Pahala (population 1,356).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 10 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 291 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred 26 days ago 42 km ESE of Naalehu, Hawaii. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 22 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 7 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
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 5,021 |
| MMI 4 | light | 1,187 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 42 |
Earthquake Details
-155.4863°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.9 earthquake near P?hala, Hawaii?
The magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck 6 km S of P?hala, Hawaii on October 14, 2022 at 20:12 UTC had a depth of 10.6 km. It was felt by 7 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 4.6 (moderate). 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 3.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.2 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 3.9 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred earlier 42 km ESE of Naalehu, Hawaii. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Actions
Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.9 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: hv73178907). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, October 14, 2022). M3.9 Earthquake 6 km S of P?hala, Hawaii — October 14, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/hv73178907/