Major quake hits Hawaii, prompts further volcano eruptions

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook Hawaii's Big Island today, prompting fresh eruptions of a volcano that is threatening residential neighborhoods, the US Geological Survey said.

It said the shallow temblor struck at 12:32 pm (2232 GMT) and was centered on the south flank of the Kilauea volcano, which first erupted yesterday after a series of quakes on the island. It had a depth of five kilometers.

"This is in almost exactly the same location as the deadly 1975 M 7.1 quake," USGC said in a tweet.