Strong quake rattles Hawaii, no tsunami warning
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 15 (Reuters) - A powerful earthquake and repeated aftershocks rattled Hawaii on Sunday, knocking out power and unnerving residents and vacationers but causing no injuries or extensive structural damage, agencies reported.
The 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of Hawaii on Sunday morning, with shaking and power outages felt as far as 150 miles (240 km) away on the island of Oahu, but no tsunami warnings were in effect.
The U.S. Geological Survey considers an earthquake of 6.6 magnitude to be strong. The agency initially recorded the earthquake as a 6.3 magnitude temblor.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, but there were scattered reports of damage and power outages were widespread.
"It was the biggest earthquake we've been through. It was pretty serious and we've lived in Tokyo for 11 years," said Arthur Roberts, who lives 15 miles (24 km) north of Hilo on Hawaii. "We heard that Kona community hospital suffered structural damage and is moving patients to another site."
The Honolulu Advertiser reported on its Web site that Honolulu International Airport was closed, there were landslides in Hamakua and Kealakekua and major damage at Kona Hospital, the Honokaa Long-term Care Facility and the Royal Kona Resort.
The earthquake was not strong enough to trigger a tsunami warning, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
"There is no tsunami warning in place," said Victor Sardina, a geophysicist at the center on Oahu.
The 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of Hawaii on Sunday morning, with shaking and power outages felt as far as 150 miles (240 km) away on the island of Oahu, but no tsunami warnings were in effect.
The U.S. Geological Survey considers an earthquake of 6.6 magnitude to be strong. The agency initially recorded the earthquake as a 6.3 magnitude temblor.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, but there were scattered reports of damage and power outages were widespread.
"It was the biggest earthquake we've been through. It was pretty serious and we've lived in Tokyo for 11 years," said Arthur Roberts, who lives 15 miles (24 km) north of Hilo on Hawaii. "We heard that Kona community hospital suffered structural damage and is moving patients to another site."
The Honolulu Advertiser reported on its Web site that Honolulu International Airport was closed, there were landslides in Hamakua and Kealakekua and major damage at Kona Hospital, the Honokaa Long-term Care Facility and the Royal Kona Resort.
The earthquake was not strong enough to trigger a tsunami warning, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
"There is no tsunami warning in place," said Victor Sardina, a geophysicist at the center on Oahu.
posted by DP at 4:50 PM
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