The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported Sunday that about 31 small earthquakes struck Kilauea’s Upper East Rift Zone on the Big Island beginning at 6 a.m. and lasting for about 41 minutes.

There were no reports of damage to structures.

The earthquakes were concentrated about 3 to 4 miles southeast of Kilauea’s summit, between Hiiaka and Kookoolau craters, officials said in a statement.

The eight largest earthquakes had magnitudes between 1.7 and 3.9 at depths of about 1 to 2 miles beneath Earth’s surface, and were too weak to cause any significant damage, according to officials.

At least six of the earthquakes were felt on Hawaii island, primarily in the Kau and Puna districts. USGS officials said they received more than 30 reports of weak to light shaking in the area within an hour of the biggest earthquake.

Scientists suspect the size and location of the earthquakes could be related to the ongoing pressurized magma storage beneath the Kilauea summit.

The earthquakes caused no significant changes to the volcano’s ongoing eruptions or ground surfaces, said Tina Neal, HVO scientist-in-charge.

Volunteers sought for 2 state commissions

Civic-minded volunteers are encouraged to attend a briefing March 16 at the state Capitol to learn more about serving on the State Ethics Commission and Campaign Spending Commission.

The two “good-government” agencies are recruiting new commissioners to fill upcoming vacancies. The briefing will cover the responsibilities, duties, conflict-of-interest limitations and time requirements of the positions. It will also explain how to apply.

The Ethics Commission handles ethical issues involving state employees and lobbyists, while the Campaign Spending Commission oversees campaign contributions and expenditures. Commissioners serve as volunteers.

The workshop is sponsored by the League of Women Voters and Common Cause Hawaii. It will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. March 16 in Conference Room 229 at the Capitol. For more information or to RSVP, email m.vomvoris@capitol.hawaii.gov or call 586-6686.

KAUAI

Shortcut beach solution may be killing coral on reef

A beach replenishment project in Kapaa, Kauai, has raised community concerns about the effects on nearby coral reefs.

Kauai County has been adding sand at the north end of the 600-foot Pono Kai Seawall, repaired in 2015 at a cost of $948,400.

But the repairs didn’t solve the problem of periodic beach erosion, the Garden Island reports. Halting the erosion would require extending the wall 50 feet, county officials said.

In order to extend the wall, the county would have to apply for additional permits, including a conservation district use permit, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit, state Clean Water Branch permit and special management area permit.

Instead, the county obtained a 10-year permit from the state for periodic beach replenishment. Since April there have been four beach nourishment activities with a total of 500 cubic yards of sand placed above the mean high water mark.

The concern is that the new sand is clogging the boat ramp and stream mouth and getting washed onto the reef, ultimately killing the coral.

Acting County Engineer Lyle Tabata acknowledged receiving an email expressing those concerns.

The email, submitted by Terry Lilley, a Hanalei biologist and environmental activist, alleges the project is a violation of the federal Clean Water Act because it is killing the reef.

“The entire reef is 99 percent dead and covered in sediment,” Lilley wrote. “This area was healthy just a few short years ago. We are doing an extensive study of the corals in the Kapaa Lagoon and (in) most locations there is a 10 to 35 percent live coral cover but this location is less than a 1 percent.”

Representatives from the Department of Land and Natural Resources said the department is looking into the complaint.