June 26, 1989 Earthquake: Puna District, Hawaiian Islands, United States
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Puna District, Hawaiian Islands, United States on June 26, 1989 at 03:27:03 UTC, 9 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- June 26, 1989
- Time
- 03:27:03 UTC
- Place
- Puna District, Hawaiian Islands, United States
- Magnitude
- 6.1 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 9 km (6 mi)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 19.362° N, 155.083° W
- Country
- United States
The toll
- Injuries
- 5
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 105
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Five people injured slightly, 5 homes destroyed and about 100 homes damaged in the Puna District. Landslides occurred in several places and blocked a road at Honomu. Slight damage (VI) at Hawaii National Park, Hilo, Honomu and Keaau. Felt (VI) at Honokaa, Kapaau, Kurtistown, Ninole, Ookala, Paauhau, Laupahoehoe and Pahala. Felt throughout the island of Hawaii. Also felt on Maui and Oahu. A small tsunami was generated with maximum wave heights (peak-to-trough) of 57 cm at Honuapo, 21 cm at Kapoho and 14 cm at Hilo. Two events about 5 seconds apart observed on broadband displcement seismograms. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- April 3, 1868, SE of, Hawaii, United States
- November 29, 1975, Hawaii, United States
- May 4, 2018, Puna District, Hawaiian Islands, United States
- March 17, 1952, Hawaii, United States
- November 16, 1983, Kapapala, Hawaii, United States
- September 21, 1908, Hawaii, United States
- April 26, 1973, Hilo, Hawaii, United States
- August 21, 1951, Hawaii, United States
- October 15, 2006, Hawaiian Islands, United States
- March 20, 1926, Hawaii, United States
More
Significant earthquakes of 1989The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1989Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5203.