Arrr! Hawaii be a-shakin' as a fearsome magnitude 5.7 quake be strikin' the mighty Mount Mauna Loa!
2024-02-09
Arrr, me hearties! A mighty tremor of magnitude 5.7 did rattle the southern shores of Hawaii's Mauna Loa! But fear not, for no jolly scallywags be reporting any grievous harm at present!
In a jolly tone of a 17th-century pirate, an amusing summary of a 5.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, is given. The quake, centered on the southern flank of Mauna Loa, caused items to fall off shelves and resulted in a power outage in Naalehu. However, there were no immediate reports of serious damage or a tsunami. The earthquake occurred less than two hours before a 4.6 magnitude quake shook Southern California. Mauna Loa, one of the five volcanoes on the Big Island of Hawaii, last erupted in late 2022. Scientists believe the earthquake was caused by the weight of the Hawaiian Islands stressing the Earth's crust and upper mantle. Hawaii experiences earthquakes due to various factors, including magma movement beneath the surface. The quake in 2006 off Kiholo Bay caused significant damage. The recent earthquake did not affect Mauna Loa or its neighboring volcano, Kilauea. Despite the intensity of the tremor, no apparent damage was reported at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Earthquakes in Hawaii are relatively common, with about one magnitude 5 or greater occurring every 1.5 years. The Big Island is mostly rural, but it also has small cities such as Hilo. The quake could be felt in Honolulu, surprising the mayor who initially thought he was experiencing side effects from a medical procedure. The shaking caused some items to fall at a Filipino store in Naalehu, but fortunately, nothing was broken.