3.3

M3.3 Earthquake 1 km SW of Pāhala, HawaiiJanuary 30, 2024

2024-01-30 17:58:05 UTC (2024-01-30) · approx. 7:58 AM UTC-10 local

MagnitudeM3.3(ml)
Time17:58 UTC7:58 AM UTC-10
Depth36.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates19.193°, -155.493°
Felt by5DYFI responses· max MMI 3.2
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On January 30, 2024 at 17:58 UTC, a magnitude 3.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 1 km SW of Pāhala, Hawaii, at a depth of 36.0 km and coordinates 19.1933°, -155.4928°. The earthquake was reported felt by 5 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3.2 (light).

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1.3 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 110 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 6 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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 19.19°, -155.49°

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.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M3.3 earthquake near 1 km SW of Pāhala, Hawaii

Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 5 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M3.3 earthquake near 1 km SW of Pāhala, Hawaii

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.3 ml
Depth
36.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
19.1933°N
-155.4928°E
Felt Reports
5
DYFI responses
Intensity (MMI)
3.2
light
Community Intensity
3.4
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
hv73737877
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
167
Stations Used
58
Azimuthal Gap
68.0°
Min Station Distance
0.048°
RMS Residual
0.12 sec
Last Updated
2024-04-13 19:28:24 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.3 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii?

The magnitude 3.3 earthquake that struck 1 km SW of Pāhala, Hawaii on January 30, 2024 at 17:58 UTC had a depth of 36.0 km. It was felt by 5 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 3.2 (light). 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 3.3 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 3.3 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.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.3 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: hv73737877). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, January 30, 2024). M3.3 Earthquake 1 km SW of Pāhala, HawaiiJanuary 30, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/hv73737877/