Moderate quake rattles Big Isle

A moderate earthquake shook the Big Island late last night but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center on Oahu recorded a preliminary magnitude of 4.7, but the U.S. Geological Survey Web site’s computer-generated message put the magnitude at 4.2. The quake struck at about 10:26 p.m.

Hilo police said the quake was centered about 9 miles west-southwest of Kalapana and about 25 miles south of Hilo. Police had no immediate reports of damage.

Barry Hirshorn, geophysicist at the tsunami warning center, said the quake was shallow, about 5.6 miles below ground, and was in the general location of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake of 1975. That quake caused a tsunami that killed two people.

Hirshorn said there was no tsunami generated by last night’s quake.

It was the third Big Island quake of 3.0 magnitude or greater in the last week, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Web site, http://earthquake.usgs.gov/.