A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Hawaii Island on Friday, with its epicenter at the heart of the newly erupting Kilauea volcano.

The earthquake could be felt across much of the archipelago, including in the state capital, Honolulu.

It struck at 12:32 p.m. local time, and according to Wendy Stovall, a volcano expert at the U.S. Geological Survey, was triggered by the movement of magma underneath the eastern flank of the volcano, an area known as the East Rift Zone.

It was the collapse of a lava-filled crater in the East Rift Zone on Monday that set off this week’s eruption. The contents of the crater seeped into a network of underground channels and flowed downhill — and on Thursday started gushing out of cracks that had opened in the rural neighborhood of Leilani Estates.

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It is not unheard of for strong earthquakes — even those bigger than magnitude 6.9 — to follow volcanic activity, Stovall said.

As molten rock moves underground, it causes a buildup of pressure, and that pressure is released as an earthquake.

Stovall said that since Thursday, there have been six cracks in the ground in Leilani Estates that have spewed red-hot lava up to 100 feet in the air — a dramatic spectacle but also a possible cause for optimism because the most damaging lava flows often are preceded by even higher fountains of lava.

1 / 13 Volcanic activity continues along Kilauea’s east rift zone, as a robust fissure eruption in Leilani Estates sends a massive flow into the subdivision, consuming all in its path, near Pahoa, Hawaii on May 6, 2018. (Bruce Omori /Paradise Helicopters / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock) 2 / 13 A new fissure erupts Saturday evening near fissures 2 and 7, beginning with small lava spatters at about 8:44 p.m. HST. By 9 p.m., lava was shooting as high as 230 feet from the fissure. (USGS / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutter) 3 / 13 A man watches lava spew from a fissure in the Leilani Estates subdivision near the town of Pahoa on Hawaii’s Big Island. (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images) 4 / 13 A plume of volcanic gas mixed with smoke from fires caused by lava looms above the Leilani Estates neighborhood of Hawaii’s Big Island in the aftermath of eruptions from the Kilauea volcano. (Mario Tama / Getty Images) 5 / 13 A lake of lava is shown at the summit near Pahoa, Hawaii. Hawaii’s erupting Kilauea volcano has destroyed homes and forced the evacuations of more than 1,000 people. (U.S. Geological Survey) 6 / 13 Lava from fissure 7 slowly advances to the northeast on Hookapu Street in Leilani Estates subdivision. (USGS / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutter) 7 / 13 TOPSHOT - Steam rises from a fissure on a road in Leilani Estates subdivision on Hawaii’s Big Island on May 4, 2018. Up to 10,000 people have been asked to leave their homes on Hawaii’s Big Island following the eruption of the Kilauea volcano that came after a series of recent earthquakes. / AFP PHOTO / FREDERIC J. BROWNFREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images) 8 / 13 A view of Puu Oo from the east, shortly after a small collapse. (USGS / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutter) 9 / 13 The collapse crater in Puu Oo. (USGS / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutter) 10 / 13 A new lava fissure opens on Kilauea volcano’s lower East Rift Zone on Makamae and Leilani Streets in the Leilani Estates subdivision. (USGS / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutter) 11 / 13 Steaming cracks in Leilani Estates subdivision moments before a fissure opened up on Kaupili Street. (USGS / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutter) 12 / 13 An eruptive area with fissures in Leilani Estates subdivision. (USGS / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutter) 13 / 13 An ash plume rises after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook the Big Island of Hawaii. (USGS / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutter)

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“Even though it sounds like it’s really high, it’s not high for an opening phase for a more voluminous and dynamic long-lived eruption,” Stovall said. “What we don’t know is whether there is more magma that’s going to come into that system. There’s some signal there is more magma in there. But the latest data hasn’t told us yet whether magma is moving into the Lower East Rift Zone.”

Only one or two of the cracks have been erupting at any single time, Stovall said. By Saturday morning, six cracks ceased activity, but two new cracks emerged that are spewing lava. “This is a continually evolving situation,” Stovall said.

The biggest hazard to people on the ground is toxic gas coming out of the cracks, Stovall said.

The fault plane that’s moving is the boundary between the ancient sea floor and the Kilauea, which is Hawaii Island’s youngest volcano.

Stovall said there were reports of earthquake damage in the city of Hilo, but she did not have details.

Cindi Preller, a geologist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, confirmed shaking in Hilo and “some minor sea-level fluctuations” that suggested a tsunami was unlikely.

There have been more than 500 earthquakes in the last week in the area of the Kilauea volcano. Six hours before the new eruption Thursday, a magnitude 5 earthquake was felt in the region. The 6.9 magnitude came about an hour after a 5.4.

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The epicenter of the earthquake is a closed section of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where there are few structures, according to Bruce Presgrave, a USGS geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center in Colorado.

The USGS’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, which is perched on the rim of the Kilauea summit, suffered some damage, Presgrave said, but details weren’t immediately available.

Scientists at the observatory “were ducking for cover,” Presgrave said.

Residents farther away on Hawaii Island said they’d been feeling the earthquakes all day.

“We’re far away from the lava eruptions but getting affected by the earthquakes three times today,” said Pauline McClees, who lives in Pepeekeo along the Hamakua Coast, 11 miles north of Hilo. “Everything was falling off my shelf, and I was cleaning up and picking up glass two times.

“It shattered crystal glass, a mirror and mementos, all material things,” she said. “We just let everything rock ’n’ roll.”

Nobody was hurt, she said: “When the 6.9 earthquake hit, I put my arms around my 89-year-old mom. I take care of her and didn’t want her to be afraid. We’re removing things on shelves now, like glass that could shatter.”

Times staff writer Lin reported from Los Angeles, special correspondent Chang from Honolulu.

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UPDATES:

10:05 a.m.: The article was updated with information on two new fissures spewing lava, raising the total number of fissures to eight since Thursday.

8:50 a.m., May 5, 2018: This article was updated with revised data on lava eruptions and gas emissions.

8:25 p.m.: This article has been updated with details of the earthquake and its cause.

5:45 p.m.: This article was updated with a quote from a resident.

4:55 p.m.: This article was update with information about a previous earthquake.

4:45 p.m.: This article was updated with information about where the shaking was felt and that a damaging tsunami is not expected.

This article was originally published at 4:20 p.m.</s>Los Angeles: A magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook Hawaii's Big Island on Friday, prompting fresh eruptions of a volcano that has been spewing lava near residential areas, forcing hundreds of people to flee.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at 12.32 pm (2232 GMT) and was centered on the south flank of the Kilauea volcano, which first erupted on Thursday after a series of tremors on the island.

"This is in almost exactly the same location as the deadly 1975 M 7.1 quake," USGS said in a tweet.

That quake killed two people and injured 28.

Another 5.7-magnitude tremor hit the island earlier on Friday and authorities said they expect more seismic activity.

The quakes have prompted the Kilauea volcano, one of five active on the island, to erupt.

Drone and video footage showed orange magma gushing up from cracks in the ground and snaking through a wooded area.

Molten lava could also be seen bubbling up through cracks on streets in the Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens neighborhood where residents were ordered to evacuate on Thursday.

The area is home to about 1,700 people and 770 structures. The broader district potentially impacted by the threat is home to some 10,000 people.

No injuries have been reported but several homes were said to have been destroyed or badly damaged on Friday, authorities said.

Officials urged any remaining residents to evacuate and warned of extremely high levels of toxic fumes.

"Elderly, young and people with respiratory issues need to comply with the mandatory evacuation order and leave the area," a statement from the mayor's office said.

Governor David Ige said residents were being housed in community centers until the danger from Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, has passed.

Ige signed an emergency proclamation releasing disaster funds to the Big Island.

'Fire curtain'

The lava outbreak came after hundreds of small earthquakes in recent days that followed the collapse of a crater floor on the Puu Oo volcanic cone.

A 5.0-magnitude earthquake early Thursday south of the cone triggered rockfalls and potential additional collapse of the crater, USGS said.

It sent a short-lived but massive pink plume of ash wafting into the air.

Big Island resident Janice Wei, who moved to Hawaii from California — known for its own high earthquake risk — said the eruption was almost a "relief."

"We've been waiting for big movement from the crater, after so many small earthquakes," she told AFP.

"Hawaiians and local people have lived here forever," she said. "You know what's going on; we have warning systems."

"Everybody should be prepared."

Using his drone, area resident Jeremiah Osuna captured video footage of the lava flow, which he described as a "fire curtain" that left him feeling "shock and awe."

"It was like if you put a bunch of rocks into a dryer and turned it on - a lot of earth and pressure and fire just moving around," Osuna told AFP.

Governor Ige activated the state's National Guard troops, and told residents to pay heed to official warnings.

In his emergency declaration, the governor noted the current flow was similar to a 1960 eruption in the Kapoho area that "caused significant damage."

FEMA mobilising

Geologist Janet Babb of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory told AFP that scientists had been following an "intrusion of magma" down the rift zone since Monday afternoon in anticipation of a possible eruption.

Though the cracks from which lava was emitting had gone dormant, she emphasised that "the overall concern and the overall event has not ended."

US Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was mobilising resources, as well as monitoring for forest fires, power outages and water supply issues.

Hawaii Island, or the Big Island, is the largest of the eight main islands that comprise the Pacific US state, an archipelago that includes hundreds of smaller volcanic islands.</s>Los Angeles, May 5 (IANS) An earthquake measuring 6.9 magnitude on the Richter scale jolted the Big Island of Hawaii on Friday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake struck 16 km southwest of Leilani Estates, Hawaii at 12:32 p.m. local time.

The epicenter, with a depth of 5 km, was initially determined to be at 19.3702 degrees north latitude and 155.0321 degrees west longitude, Xinhua reported.

“This is in almost exactly the same location as the deadly 1975 M 7.1 earthquake,” the USGS tweeted.

Bystanders said the latest quake appeared to last about 15 seconds, sending people fleeing from buildings and community centers.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake.</s>A 6.9-magnitude earthquake rattled the Big Island of Hawaii on Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, following a recent volcanic eruption.

This is a developing story; please check back for updates.</s>PAHOA, Hawaii — The U.S. Geological Survey says a second large earthquake of magnitude-6.9 has struck on Hawaii’s Big Island near where a volcanic eruption has forced residents to evacuate their rural homes.

The earthquake hit about 12:33 p.m. (Hawaiian Standard Time) Friday and was centered near the south flank of Kilauea volcano.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says the quake wasn’t strong enough to cause a tsunami. No tsunami threat or advisory is in place.

The state transportation department said on Twitter that no damage has been reported to roads.

There are no immediate reports of major damage after a large earthquake struck Hawaii’s Big Island near a volcanic eruption that has forced residents to evacuate from their homes.

Hawaii National Guard spokesman Maj. Jeff Hickman says the Hilo airport and the highways didn’t sustain any damage from Friday’s magnitude-6.9 quake.

Hawaii County spokeswoman Janet Snyder says the county has yet to conduct a damage assessment.

State Sen. Russell Ruderman says he could feel strong shaking in Hilo. He says merchandise fell off the shelves in a natural food store he owns. He also felt shaking during an earlier magnitude-5.4 earthquake.

He says residents are stressed out about earthquakes while coping with a lava threat from Kilauea volcano that has burned two homes.

Before the quake, Hawaii County Civil Defense said a new vent opened near an intersection. There is no activity at a geothermal power plant, which has been taken offline.</s>HAWAII-- There are no immediate reports of major damage after a large earthquake struck Hawaii's Big Island near a volcanic eruption that has forced residents to evacuate from their homes.

Hawaii National Guard spokesman Maj. Jeff Hickman says the Hilo airport and the highways didn't sustain any damage from Friday's magnitude-6.9 quake.

Hawaii County spokeswoman Janet Snyder says the county has yet to conduct a damage assessment.

State Sen. Russell Ruderman says he could feel strong shaking in Hilo. He says merchandise fell off the shelves in a natural food store he owns. He also felt shaking during an earlier magnitude-5.4 earthquake.

He says residents are stressed out about earthquakes while coping with a lava threat from Kilauea volcano that has burned two homes.</s>Bank of Hawaii and First Hawaiian Bank on Friday temporarily closed seven branches on Hawaii island due to ongoing volcanic activity.</s>While the permanent home of the 25th Infantry Division and other U.S. Army Hawaii units is on the island of Oahu, where there is no volcanic activity. Soldiers in these units routinely travel to Hawaii Island, and some are there now conducting regularly scheduled training. We want to assure everyone that our Soldiers on Hawaii Island are safe. They continue to train at a location that is not threatened by the ongoing volcanic activity.</s>One hour after a magnitude 5.4 earthquake rattled Hawaiis Big Island, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit it on May 4Officials from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory have said the quake is the strongest in Hawaii since 1975.The quake occurred in the same region where the eruption Kilauea volcano prompted evacuations.</s>Not only has the Kilauea volcano started actively erupting, but a magnitude 6.9 earthquake just rocked Hawaii Island yesterday. It could be felt all around the islands: including Honolulu (the state capital). As you can guess, the epicenter was right in the middle of the Kilauea volcano. The earthquake was triggered by the collapse of a lava-filled crater.

One of the hardest hit areas is Leilani Estates: which now has six cracks in the ground. As you can see in the incredible video and pictures below, the cracks are shooting red-hot lava up to 100 feet in the air! Ironically, it's the toxic gas that's more of a threat.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake hits Hawaii, the strongest in over 40 years, amid ongoing seismic and volcanic activity.