Magnitude 6.0 earthquake rattles Hawaii's Big Island, damaging homes

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Hawaii the night of May 22, local time, and was felt by residents across the islands, with reports of damage to homes and downed power lines, officials said.

The earthquake struck at 9:46 p.m. local time, which is 3:46 a.m. ET, about 8 miles away from Honaunau-Napoopoo on the Big Island, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Strong shaking was felt on the western part of the Island of Hawaii, known as the Big Island. There was no tsunami threat, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System said.

Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alamdeda said several rockslides happened as a result of the earthquake, and roadway crews were working to clear debris overnight. The slides were reported along Highway 11 from Captain Cook to Ocean View, he said. There were also reports of downed utility lines and power outages, and reports of damage to homes and other structures, he said. Minor damage was also reported at Kona Hospital, but services were not disrupted, he said.

Several aftershocks have already occurred in the area, including one with a magnitude of 4.0, USGS said. More are expected in the coming days.

More than 2,400 people submitted reports about feeling shaking within a few hours of the main quake, USGS said.

Thousands of earthquakes happen every year in Hawaii, most too tiny to be felt, due to activity from volcanoes or because of the weight of the islands pressing down on the Earth's underlying crust. Over the past 50 years, there have been 36 other earthquakes with magnitudes over 5.0 within a 60-mile distance from the epicenter of May 22's quake, according to USGS.

The most recent quake was not directly caused by volcanic activity, said the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. It was caused by stress from the weight of the Hawaiian island chain bending the oceanic plate below.

"The earthquake had no apparent impact on either Mauna Loa or Kīlauea volcanoes," the observatory said.

How powerful is a 6.0 quake?

Magnitude measures the strength of an earthquake. Here are the effects of different magnitudes of earthquake, according to Michigan Technological University:

• Below 2.5: Generally not felt
• 2.5 to 5.4: Minor or no damage
• 5.5 to 6.0: Slight damage to buildings
• 6.1 to 6.9: Serious damage
• 7.0 to 7.9: Major earthquake. Serious damage.
• 8.0 or greater: Massive damage, can destroy communities

Contributing: Elizabeth Weise