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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, January 19, 2006

Big Island shaken by 4.7 earthquake

Advertiser Staff

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake that jolted the Big Island during afternoon rush hour yesterday was felt from Ka'u to South Kohala and Hilo, but there were no reports of damage.

The quake at 4:04 p.m. was the largest since a magnitude 4.7 temblor beneath the undersea volcano Lo'ihi on Dec. 7.

Scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory recorded the center of the quake off the Ka'u coast, about 52 miles from Hilo and about 10 miles east of Na'alehu, putting it roughly midway between the Lo'ihi seamount and Pahala.

Lo'ihi is an active volcano south of Kilauea volcano, and the Lo'ihi seamount is about 3,200 feet below the ocean surface.

Yesterday's earthquake originated from an area about 26 miles deep, scientists at the observatory reported.