Hawaii earthquakes

M4.8 earthquake 13 km SSE of Volcano, Hawaii

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck 13 km SSE of Volcano, Hawaii on Thu, Feb 21, 1985, 7:48 PM HST (05:48 UTC), 9 km (5 mi) below the surface.

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Map

Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude: 4.8 (ML, local (Richter)), light
Magnitude from: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Local time: Thu, Feb 21, 1985, 7:48 PM HST
UTC: 1985-02-22 05:48:29 UTC
Depth: 8.6 km (5.3 mi), shallow
Epicenter: 19.324° N, 155.208° W
Region: Hawaii
Tsunami flag: No
Status: Reviewed by a seismologist

Magnitude estimates

Different scales measure different things and differ by a few tenths. The USGS marks one as preferred, and it is the one this page uses.

Mag.	Scale	Computed by	Notes
4.85	ML, local (Richter)	Hawaiian Volcano Observatory	Preferred · Final · ±0.5 · 3 stations
5.0	mb, body-wave	USGS National Earthquake Information Center	Reviewed · 22 stations
5.0	mb, body-wave	USGS historic United States catalog	Final

What happened

The USGS’s account of the effects of this earthquake.

Felt (V) at Hilo and Ookala, (IV) at Hakalau, Hawi, Honokoa, Holualoa, Kealakekua, Laupahoehoe, Naalehu, Ninole, Paauhau, Pahala, Pahoa, Pepeekeo and Volcano. Felt throughout the island of Hawaii.

Maximum observed Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) V

From the USGS event page for hv19850316. U.S. Geological Survey text and figures are in the public domain.

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Location uncertainty: About 0.4 km horizontally, 0.4 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty: ±0.50
Depth from: From location
Station coverage gap: 85°
Stations used: 49

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.8 and up: 152 in the 60 days after this one and 75 in the 30 days before it.

After

The first 60 of 152.

Before

Earthquakes today Hawaii earthquakes Live radar here

Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event hv19850316 (also filed as ushis3881, usp0002c3z). Read Fri, Oct 2, 2026, 6:08 AM UTC.