Hawaii hit by strong quake

HAWAII: A powerful earthquake and repeated aftershocks shook Hawaii on Sunday, rattling nerves, knocking out power in Honolulu and prompting Gov. Linda Lingle to issue a disaster declaration for the entire state.

The 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of Hawaii on Sunday morning at 7:07 a.m. local time, with strong shaking felt as far as 150 miles (240 km) away on the island of Oahu, according to the U.S. Geological Service.

The earthquake was not strong enough to trigger a tsunami warning, according to Victor Sardina, a geophysicist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

There were no immediate reports of serious injuries or fatalities as the quake struck off a sparsely populated area, but there were scattered reports of damage.

Lingle in a press conference broadcast over radio said she had flown over the island of Hawaii to assess damage and had yet to receive any reports of serious injuries.

Power outages were widespread and telephone service spotty, including in Honolulu and across Oahu, where most of the state's 1.28 million residents live.

Honolulu supermarkets grew crowded as shoppers stocked up on food, water and batteries.

Honolulu resident Roger Reilly trekked to a Home Depot for batteries after the earthquake jolted him out of bed. "It made my heart race like crazy," he told Reuters.

Honolulu, Monday, Reuters