M2.9 Earthquake 15 km S of Volcano, Hawaii — December 23, 2023
2023-12-23 22:51:15 UTC (2023-12-23) · approx. 12:51 PM UTC-10 local
On December 23, 2023 at 22:51 UTC, a magnitude 2.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 15 km S of Volcano, Hawaii, at a depth of 1.3 km and coordinates 19.3052°, -155.2095°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 304 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 58 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 7 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 3 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
-155.2095°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 2.9 earthquake near Volcano, Hawaii?
The magnitude 2.9 earthquake that struck 15 km S of Volcano, Hawaii on December 23, 2023 at 22:51 UTC had a depth of 1.3 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 2.9 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 2.9 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.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 2.9 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: hv73694772). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 23, 2023). M2.9 Earthquake 15 km S of Volcano, Hawaii — December 23, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/hv73694772/