The July 14, 1939 earthquake
M5.5near Fern Forest, Hawaii
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake, centred in Hawaii County. The 47th strongest in Hawaii’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 5.6 on November 21, 1935.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.5
- as reported (fa)
- Depth
- —
- Not recorded
- Local time
- Friday, July 14, 1939
- 03:51 HST; 14:21 UTC
- In Hawaii’s record
- 47th
- strongest of 39,637 since 1900
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event ushis1263 (“16 km S of Fern Forest, Hawaii”). The USGS event page carries the ShakeMap, felt reports and the official summary.
Counties and cities within 50 miles
Distance from the epicentre to each county boundary (zero when inside) and to each city centre.
Counties
- Hawaii CountyHI · inside
Earthquakes around the epicentre
6,916 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.
Earlier earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles, strongest first
- September 20, 1908M6.7
- March 28, 1915M6.4
- November 1, 1918M6.2
- May 3, 1905M6.2
- September 14, 1919M6.1
- January 2, 1935M5.9
- October 25, 1913M5.8
- June 28, 1935M5.6
- November 21, 1935M5.6
- March 13, 1909M5.3
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.