M6.0 Earthquake near Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii — 23 May 2026
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 6.0 was recorded near Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii on , with an epicentre 13 km south of Honaunau-Napoopoo, at a focal depth of 22.6 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-05-23 07:46:01
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 6.0 (moderate)
Focal depth: 22.6 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 19.3403, -155.8420
Location: 13 km S of Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area.
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake radiates roughly 13,134 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 1360, which meets the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 19.3403, -155.8420 — 13 km south of Honaunau-Napoopoo. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 1.8 earthquake 38 km east of here on 29 July 2026.
Why the 23 km depth matters
At 23 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M6.0 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
116 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.0.
19 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.9 event near Honaunau-Napoopoo on 23 May 2026. This M6.0 event released about 1.2 times more energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the May 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M1.8 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii — (38 km E)
- M2.3 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii — (38 km ESE)
- M2.2 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii — (39 km ESE)
- M2.1 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii — (40 km ESE)
- M1.9 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii — (40 km ESE)
- M1.9 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii — (40 km ESE)
- M2.1 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii — (40 km ESE)
- M1.7 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii — (41 km ESE)
- M2.2 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii — (41 km ESE)
- M1.9 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii — (42 km ESE)
Other magnitude 5 earthquakes worldwide
- M5.9 earthquake near Colonia, Micronesia —
- M5.8 earthquake near Kermadec Islands region —
- M5.9 earthquake near Kermadec Islands region —
- M5.9 earthquake near Brisas Barra de Suchiate, Mexico —
- M5.8 earthquake near Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia —
- M5.8 earthquake near Oula Xiuma, China —
- M5.7 earthquake near Oula Xiuma, China —
- M5.8 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 6.0 earthquake?
Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area. A magnitude 6.0 earthquake radiates roughly 13,134 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Honaunau-Napoopoo?
At 23 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
Was the M6.0 earthquake near Honaunau-Napoopoo felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M6.0 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
116 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.0.
How often do earthquakes happen near Honaunau-Napoopoo?
19 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.9 event near Honaunau-Napoopoo on 23 May 2026. This M6.0 event released about 1.2 times more energy than that event.