Strong earthquake strikes Hawaii's Big Island

Pahala, Hawaii - A strong earthquake hit Hawaii on Friday, seismologists said, but there was no danger of a tsunami.

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit Hawaii's Big Island on Friday (file photo).
A 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit Hawaii's Big Island on Friday (file photo).  © MARIO TAMA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

The 5.7-magnitude quake struck near Pahala on the main island of Hawaii, with its epicenter located around 23 miles below the Earth's surface, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake was felt all over the main island, according to a website on which people tell the USGS what they experienced.

The agency said the likelihood of fatalities or damage was low.

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Hawaii is a seismically active part of the planet despite being in the middle of a huge tectonic plate.

It is home to six active volcanoes, including Kilauea, which regularly wows helicopter-riding tourists who come to see its red-hot shows on Hawaii's Big Island.

It is also the location of Mauna Loa, the world's biggest volcano, which put on a weeks-long show in 2022 as it erupted for the first time in four decades, with lava fountains 200 feet high that sent rivers of molten rock down its flanks.

Cover photo: MARIO TAMA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

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