Captain Cook farmer Sanford Higashi checks the damage from Sunday's earthquake at his home on the Big Island. Ken Love/Special to the Advertiser   Sanford Higashi of Captain Cook, Big Island, surveys the damage to one of many rock walls on his property that occurred during Sunday's earthquake. Ken Love/Special to the Advertiser

Others reported collapsed rock walls, and some wondered if their homes were safe for occupancy, said Janet Snyder, public relations specialist for the county.

"I heard one lady in Kona that had cracks in her walls she could see through, she was very upset, and they left the house because they were concerned that it might not be safe," she said. "For me, that was the worst one I heard today."

Civil defense officials were gathering information about damaged homes and promising residents that they will arrange for checks of the most seriously damaged structures as soon as possible.

Reports of damage this morning included the old 10-room homestead of Father Elias Bond, one of the earliest missionaries on the Big Island and the founder of the Kohala Girl's School. He later founded the Kohala Sugar Plantation, and his home was built in stages starting in the 1840s.

Officials with the New Moon Foundation had outfitted the Bond homestead with authentic furniture, dishes, clothing and other items in preparation for opening the house as a museum, but Sunday's earthquake collapsed the rock walls that made up the front and rear walls of the structure, said Robin Mullin, office administrator with New Moon Foundation.

"We're trying to empty the building of all the contents, and it's pretty hectic," she said. She said the foundation does not yet have an estimate of the dollar values of the damage. Also suffering extensive damage was the Kalahikola Congregational Church Bond built with his congregation and dedicated in 1855.