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Monmouth woman visiting Hawaii felt both major earthquakes on the ‘Big Island’

When two earthquakes rocked Hawaii’s Big Island on Friday, May 4, Tammy Wolbers of Monmouth, Illinois says she felt them both.

KONA, Hawaii -- When two earthquakes rocked Hawaii's Big Island on Friday, May 4, Tammy Wolbers of Monmouth, Illinois says she felt them both.

A 6.9-magnitude earthquake shook Hawaii’s Big Island around 12:33 p.m. Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

It was the second large quake of the day – a 5.4-magnitude earthquake also shook the Big Island about an hour earlier.

"We come to Hawaii every year. We have been coming to vacation on the Big Island for the last 8 years and we have never experienced anything like this ever before," said Wolbers. "One and done, we don't need to go through this again."

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Wolbers said area residents have warned her that if a Tsunami warning were to be issued, she and her family would have about three minutes to get to higher ground, otherwise the water and waves could become too strong and she wouldn't be able to escape.

Reports say that both earthquakes struck near the Leilani Estates neighborhood, where residents have been forced to evacuate.

Wolbers said she felt the earthquake from about 93 miles away from the volcano and from the Leilani Estates neighborhood.

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Hundreds of smaller earthquakes in Hawaii shook the eastern side of the Big Island, near the Kilauea Volcano, one of the world’s most active volcanoes.

It’s located in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which has since closed off nearly 15,700 acres due to “the possibility of a new eruption and unstable geologic activity.” But most of the park remains open, according to its statement.

Wolbers is vacationing in Hawaii with her brothers and her mom. She said they are set to fly back home to Illinois on Monday night.

Some of the reported information about the earthquakes in this article comes from stories by CNN and Tribune Media.

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