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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 4:53 p.m., Monday, October 16, 2006

Eighty aftershocks registered in first 24 hours

Advertiser Staff

The U.S. Geological Survey has upgraded the magnitude of yesterday's Big Island earthquakes to 6.7 and 6.0 and said there have been 80 aftershocks registering at magnitudes of 1.7 or greater in the first 24 hours after the first earthquake.

The first earthquake, which had a 6.7 magnitude, struck at 7:07 a.m. yesterday and was centered 24 miles below Kiholo Bay. It was originally reported as a 6.5 magnitude quake and was later upgraded to 6.6.

The 6.0 quake was originally reported measured at a magnitude of between 5.5 and 5.8. It hit at 7:14 a.m. about 13 miles northwest of Kawaihae at a depth of 12 miles.

From 10:35 a.m. yesterday to 10 a.m. today, the Big Island has had 68 aftershocks of magnitudes of 2.0 or greater, said Jim Kauaihikaua, scientist in charge of the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Most of them were centered off shore.

"We have also recorded and detected many more of lesser magnitude," Kauaihikaua said.