M6.0 Earthquake 13 km S of Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii — May 23, 2026
2026-05-23 07:46:01 UTC (2 hours ago) · approx. 9:46 PM UTC-10 local
Felt by 5,168 people across a wide area. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 7.2 (severe). Part of an active aftershock sequence.
On May 23, 2026 at 07:46 UTC, a magnitude 6.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 13 km S of Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii, at a depth of 22.6 km and coordinates 19.3403°, -155.8425°. The earthquake was reported felt by 5,168 peopleacross a wide area, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 7.2 (severe). The USGS PAGER system issued a yellow alert level for this event, indicating local impact possible. This earthquake was detected by 60 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 1360, making it one of the most significant global earthquakes in recent days. The nearest populated place is Captain Cook (population 4,087).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 13 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 7.8 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Active aftershock sequence: This earthquake is the mainshock of an ongoing aftershock sequence. In the 2 hours since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 5 aftershocks within 20 km of the epicenter, including 1 of magnitude 3.0 or greater. The strongest aftershock was a magnitude 3.2 event 1 hour ago. Aftershock sequences from mainshocks of magnitude 6.0 typically continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time, though occasional larger aftershocks remain possible.
The epicenter is located in Hawaii, a region characterized by intraplate volcanic activity over the Hawaiian mantle plume hotspot, with seismicity driven by magma intrusion and flank instability. View all earthquakes in Hawaii.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 7.2 (severe), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Very strong shaking. Difficult to stand. Damage to weak structures; slight damage to well-built structures. Furniture broken. Fallen plaster and loose bricks.
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 5,168 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 | 72,631 |
| MMI 4 | light | 229,898 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 50,230 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 18,987 |
| MMI 7 | very strong | 7,120 |
Earthquake Details
-155.8425°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 6.0 earthquake near Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii?
The magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck 13 km S of Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii on May 23, 2026 at 07:46 UTC had a depth of 22.6 km. It was felt by 5,168 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 7.2 (severe). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 19.3403°, -155.8425°, which is 13 km S of Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii. The nearest populated place is Captain Cook (population 4,087). View all earthquakes in Hawaii.
Were there aftershocks?
Yes. In the 2 hours since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 5 aftershocks within 20 km of the epicenter, including 1 of magnitude 3.0 or greater. Aftershock activity is typical for earthquakes of this magnitude and can continue for days to weeks.
Has Hawaii had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Hawaii was the M7.9 Ka'u District earthquake of April 2, 1868. Today's magnitude 6.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: hv74966427). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, May 23, 2026). M6.0 Earthquake 13 km S of Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii — May 23, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/hv74966427/