THE 2024 GREAT HAWAIIAN SHAKEOUT is next week Thursday, Oct. 17 beginning at 10:17 a.m. and registration has begun online. Register at ShakeOut.org/Hawaii beforehand to receive updates and resources on what to do before and after an earthquake. The Great Hawaiian Shakeout is also is the this
week's Volcano Watch written by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist Jefferson Chang:
In Hawai'i, earthquakes are a common occurrence, and we should always practice earthquake preparedness. Millions of people around the world practice "DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON" annually on the third Thursday of October. That includes us in Hawai'i!
Back in my hanabata (younger) days, we would sometimes hear these melodic chimes slowly moving through the neighborhood. You couldn't see where it was at first, but you knew what it was immediately. That sweet sound signaled that the manapua truck was coming by. As kids, we would hear that sound and run outside to look for the truck and wait in anticipation—all the while yelling to our neighbors that "the manapua man is coming!" in case they didn't already know.
As an adult, I basically do the same thing nowadays at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Only the manapua trucks are volcanic eruptions (or intrusions if they fail to break the Earth's surface), the sweet melodic chimes are earthquakes that get louder and more frequent as the magma gets closer to the surface.
Not all earthquakes in Hawai'i are caused by magma movement, though; some of the most damaging earthquakes are caused by structural adjustments from the weight of our islands pushing down on the Pacific Plate.
A lot has changed since manapua trucks roamed through neighborhoods—particularly with how communication happens.
Back then, we had one phone number for the entire house. That number rang one phone (maybe two if you were lucky) that was either in the kitchen or hallway, plugged into the wall. For decades, this seemed to be the case.
Then, technological advancements unleashed a barrage of new possibilities. Computers became common fixture at schools and households and with them came the internet. Phones detached from walls, then shrank in size, then shrank some more, then they shrank some more! Actually, every bit of technology shrank—computers, the internet, phones—they all fit in one pocket now!
With all the advances in technology, including Machine Learning at its current state, we have yet to be able to predict earthquakes successfully. There is no notification that anyone can send out before a large earthquake occurs. All we can do is prepare for the shaking when—not if—a big one hits.
Although earthquakes cannot be predicted before they happen, technology is inching us closer to that fantasy by detecting, measuring, and locating intense ground shaking as quickly as it is happening.
The United States has two earthquake early warning (EEW) systems: ShakeAlert—a USGS-led collaboration between federal and state agencies, university researchers, and industry partners—sends notifications to folks in California (since 2019), Oregon, and Washington (since 2021); Google, an industry partner in the ShakeAlert EEW consortium, announced in September 2024 that they plan to roll out the Android Earthquake Alerts System (EAS) for the rest of the country—the 47 States and five U.S. Territories. It is important to note that Google's EAS is (1) solely for Android devices and (2) proprietary, and (3) not tied to any government agency.
Cover you head and neck with your arm if possible, or crawl under a sturdy table or next to a bed to shelter yourself from falling objects.
Hold on to your shelter until the shaking stops, as strong earthquakes may shift the cover away.
Because "lucky we live Hawaiʻi," you might be near the ocean or near sea level when a strong earthquake occurs. In this case, head to higher ground after the intense shaking and look for notifications from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC).
Volcano Activity Updates
Kīlauea is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is ADVISORY. While the September 15–20 East Rift Zone eruption has ended, unrest continues at a low level in this region of Kīlauea. Over the past week, about 40 earthquakes were located in Kīlauea summit region, and about 100 were located in the upper-to-middle East Rift Zone. Ground deformation rates have greatly decreased since the eruption, but data show that magma is continuing to move at a low rate from the summit to the middle East Rift Zone. Future intrusive episodes and eruptions could occur with continued magma supply. The most recent measurement of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate at the summit was 60 tonnes per day on September 17, 2024, and SO2 emissions were not detected at downwind of the eruption site on Monday, September 23.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.
No earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week.
HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
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