Updated at 8:21 p.m., Monday, August 13, 2007
5.3 earthquake in Kalapana rattles Big Island
Advertiser Staff
An earthquake tonight rattled the Big Island but early indications are it caused no significant damages.Stuart Koyanagi if the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the magnitude 5.3 earthquake at 7:38 p.m. was centered eight miles west northwest of Kalapana.
No tsunami was generated, according to Big Island Civil Defense. deEtte Fukamitsu said the Civil Defense office had received no reports of damage.
Big Island police are checking out reports of rocks on the Hawai'i Belt Road along Route 19 from Hilo along the Hamakua Coast to Waimea.
University of Hawai'i at Hilo professor Don Eads and his son, Hoku, were in the new University Classroom Building when they felt the tremor.
"The building shook so hard we thought it was going to fall down," Eads said in an e-mail to The Advertiser.
A Puna resident, preparing for the expected passby of Hurricane Flossie tomorrow, said of tonight's tremor:
"When it rains, it pours, doesn't it?" the rresident said in an e-mail. "A looming hurricane and now some seismic activity!"
