Scientists explain recent earthquakes on the south side of Kilauea Island

(BIVN) – Seismic activity at Kilauea on the island of Hawaii remains high. The U.S. Geological Survey's volcanic alert level is advisory, and scientists say there are no signs of an imminent eruption at this time.

In the latest Volcano Watch article, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory examines the recent magnitude 4.1 earthquake that occurred on the south side of Kilauea Island.

From this week's article:

Hawaiians are used to feeling the ground shake beneath their feet. From gentle tremors that sound like the wind to sudden vibrations that knock dishes off the table, living on this volcanically active island means accepting that the ground beneath our feet won’t always stay still.

The last significant earthquake occurred on Saturday night, July 6, at 8:47 p.m. Hawaii time. The quake was a magnitude 4.1 on the Richter scale on the south side of Kilauea Island at a depth of about 7 km (4.4 mi) below sea level. The event triggered a number of aftershocks, including three M2 aftershocks that occurred within ten minutes of the M4.1 sea level quake.

USGS: “Map of the magnitude 4.1 earthquake that struck Hawaii Island on July 6, 2024 (location shown by star). Felt reports show the intensity of shaking during the earthquake across Hawaii Island. Felt reports from Maui and Lanai are not shown for this event.”

Earthquakes that occur on the south side of Kilauea typically occur on either the Helena Fault System or a so-called “subduction” fault. The steep-slope faults on the Helena Fault System are easily visualized as they appear on the surface as steep slopes along the southeast coast of the island of Hawaii. These steep-slope faults continue through the interior of the Earth and can cause large earthquakes as rocks along the nearly vertical faults slide past each other.

The detachment fault lies beneath the Helena Fault System. This fault runs almost horizontally down the southern side of Kilauea at the interface between the island and the ocean floor. This interface can produce larger events, and according to seismologists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, this fault was the likely source of Saturday's M4.1 earthquake based on depth and motion.

The most recent earthquake was a 6.9 magnitude earthquake that occurred on May 4, 2018. This earthquake was caused by volcanic intrusion into the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano, which led to the 2018 eruption of the lower East Rift Zone.

This collapse also caused a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in 1989. This event caused casualties, destroyed or damaged homes in the Puna area, caused landslides that blocked roads, and generated a small local tsunami.

The most devastating of the three events was in 1975, and was the largest earthquake in Hawaii since 1868. A 7.7 magnitude earthquake on the Decollement Fault beneath Kilauea caused several meters of horizontal and vertical movement along the faults in the summit and south flank areas. The earthquakes caused damage to buildings and roads, along with a tsunami that killed two local people.

In this broader context, Saturday’s Richter scale earthquake was only a minor slip along the Kilauea rift, but the tremors felt so widely were a reminder of the region’s potential for devastating, large-scale earthquakes. More than 700 people reported feeling the recent Richter scale earthquake, which extended to the island of Hawaii and as far away as Maui and Lanai.

As residents of a very seismic island chain, the USGS's “Did You Feel It?” website is a great resource that citizens and scientists alike can use to report how we individually feel earthquakes.

While magnitude is the size of an earthquake derived from data collected by a network of seismic instruments, intensity is a measure of shaking derived from a network of people who report feeling it. Based on the felt reports, “Internet Earthquake Intensity Maps,” or CIIMS, are generated in near real time and help us understand how different types of earthquakes can affect different areas of Hawaii.

The USGS fact sheet, “Did You Feel It? Citizens Contribute to Earthquake Science,” describes the importance of seismic information models: “… As a result of work by the USGS and in collaboration with various regional seismic networks, people who experience an earthquake can go online and share information about its effects to help create a map of shaking intensity and damage… Seismic information models contribute significantly to the rapid assessment of the extent of an earthquake emergency and provide valuable data for earthquake research.”

Next time you feel an earthquake, first make sure you and your surroundings are safe. Then if you would like to support the science happening in Hawaii, please fill out your report. Thank you to everyone who reported feeling an earthquake in Hawaii; your reports help us understand the effects of earthquakes in our dynamic environment.

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