M3.0 Earthquake 2 km WSW of Pāhala, Hawaii — October 17, 2023
2023-10-17 23:06:25 UTC (2023-10-17) · approx. 1:06 PM UTC-10 local
On October 17, 2023 at 23:06 UTC, a magnitude 3.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 2 km WSW of Pāhala, Hawaii, at a depth of 32.1 km and coordinates 19.1955°, -155.5050°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 494 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 72 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 11 days ago 42 km ESE of Naalehu, Hawaii. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 23 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 2 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
-155.5050°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.0 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii?
The magnitude 3.0 earthquake that struck 2 km WSW of Pāhala, Hawaii on October 17, 2023 at 23:06 UTC had a depth of 32.1 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 3.0 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 3.0 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.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.0 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: hv73612527). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, October 17, 2023). M3.0 Earthquake 2 km WSW of Pāhala, Hawaii — October 17, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/hv73612527/