The July 3, 1954 earthquake

M5.4near Volcano, Hawaii

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake 7.5 miles deep, centred in Hawaii County. The 51st strongest in Hawaii’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 6.1 on March 30, 1954.

The earthquake

Magnitude
5.4
local magnitude (ml)
Depth
7.5 mi
12.0 km below the surface
Local time
Saturday, July 3, 1954
11:52 HST; 21:52 UTC
Epicentre
19.40°N, 155.20°W
In Hawaii County
In Hawaii’s record
51st
strongest of 39,637 since 1900
Within 50 miles
1
county; more on this date

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event ushis1940 (“5 km SE of Volcano, 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

Earthquakes around the epicentre

7,046 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of the epicentre, by year 1973: 111 1974: 195 1975: 499 1976: 288 1977: 209 1978: 138 1979: 166 1980: 181 1981: 169 1982: 153 1983: 156 1984: 80 1985: 59 1986: 59 1987: 54 1988: 57 1989: 52 1990: 64 1991: 52 1992: 53 1993: 23 1994: 21 1995: 18 1996: 246 1997: 104 1998: 152 1999: 67 2000: 20 2001: 27 2002: 13 2003: 25 2004: 24 2005: 31 2006: 21 2007: 36 2008: 16 2009: 20 2010: 18 2011: 42 2012: 36 2013: 31 2014: 21 2015: 49 2016: 60 2017: 45 2018: 2,132 2,132 2019: 59 2020: 123 2021: 159 2022: 211 2023: 128 2024: 212 2025: 61 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023

Earlier earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles, strongest first

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.