Magnitude 5.3 earthquake hits Hawaii; no risk of tsunami

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii – A magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The quake hit about 5 p.m. and had an epicenter about 15 miles (24 kilometres) southwest of Kailua-Kona, a city of nearly 12,000 people on the island’s west coast, the agency said. The earthquake had a depth of about 10 miles (16 kilometres).

There is no danger of a tsunami, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center of the National Weather Service said.

Parts of the island may have experienced strong shaking, the centre said. The U.S. Geological Survey says it has received 894 responses from people saying they had felt the earthquake.

Hawaii Electric Light tweeted that about 3,300 customers were without power in the community of Waikoloa, Hawaii News Now reported . Crews were working to restore power.

Civil Defence officials told Hawaii News Now that the earthquake caused a large boulder to come down on Highway 19-Queen Kaahumanu at the Hapuna Junction.

The news agency also reports that Captain Cook resident Elizabeth Cano said on Facebook that her whole house shook in the quake.

“I’m still cleaning up broken glass,” she said.