Magnitude
3.7
Date-Time
Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 00:18:35 UTC
Friday, June 15, 2012 at 02:18:35 PM at epicenter
Location
19.887°N, 155.994°W
Depth
16 km (9.9 miles) (poorly constrained)
Region
ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
Distances
14 km (9 miles) WSW (250°) from Puako, HI
18 km (11 miles) N (3°) from Kalaoa, HI
22 km (14 miles) WSW (254°) from Waikoloa Village, HI
97 km (60 miles) WNW (282°) from Hilo, HI
248 km (154 miles) SE (129°) from Honolulu, HI

TSUNAMI SEISMIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NUMBER 1
NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI
221 PM HST FRI JUN 15 2012

TO – CIVIL DEFENSE IN THE STATE OF HAWAII

SUBJECT – LOCAL TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NO ACTION REQUIRED.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

ORIGIN TIME – 0219 PM HST 15 JUN 2012
COORDINATES – 19.9 NORTH 156.0 WEST
LOCATION – IN THE HUALALAI REGION OF THE BIG ISLAND
MAGNITUDE – 3.8

EVALUATION

NO TSUNAMI IS EXPECTED. REPEAT. NO TSUNAMI IS EXPECTED.

THIS WILL BE THE ONLY STATEMENT ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS ADDITIONAL DATA ARE RECEIVED.

USGS: How large does an earthquake have to be to cause a tsunami?

Magnitudes below 6.5
Earthquakes of this magnitude are very unlikely to trigger a tsunami.

Magnitudes between 6.5 and 7.5
Earthquakes of this size do not usually produce destructive tsunamis. However, small sea level changes may be observed in the vicinity of the epicenter. Tsunamis capable of producing damage or casualties are rare in this magnitude range but have occurred due to secondary effects such as landslides or submarine slumps.

Magnitudes between 7.6 and 7.8
Earthquakes of this size may produce destructive tsunamis especially near the epicenter; at greater distances small sea level changes may be observed. Tsunamis capable of producing damage at great distances are rare in the magnitude range.

Magnitude 7.9 and greater
Destructive local tsunamis are possible near the epicenter, and significant sea level changes and damage may occur in a broader region.

Note that with a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the probability of an aftershock with a magnitude exceeding 7.5 is not negligible. To date, the largest aftershock recorded has been magnitude 7.1 that did not produce a damaging tsunami.