The Big Island was jolted by a 5.0-magnitude earthquake about 12:45 p.m. yesterday.

One resident described the event as "sharp" but of short duration. County civil defense officials said there were no reports of damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the earthquake was situated 8 miles southeast of the Kilauea summit and 27 miles southwest of Hilo, at a depth of 6.2 miles.

Jim Kauahikaua, scientist in charge of the observatory, said earthquakes are a regular event in the area. "This was typical for the south flank of Kilauea. We have these all the time," he said.

Eleven earthquakes with magnitudes of 4 or greater, including three with magnitudes of 5 or greater, have occurred in the region at nearly the same depth in the last 25 years. The quakes are thought to be caused by slippage of the south flank in response to magma pressure within the volcano's east rift zone, Kauahikaua said.

Including yesterday's event, 35 earthquakes have been recorded on the Big Island this month alone.