Maui Quakes in Tight 90-Minute Set Mysteriously Centered at the MACC

A set of decently sized earthquakes jolted the north Kahului area Wednesday night, during a 90-minute period of on-and-off tremors that continues to baffle seismologists.

It appears the epicenters were somewhere in or near the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, officials said.

“We’re still awaiting final data, but so far we think these temblors came from the Castle Theater at the MACC,” said Edward Lulu of the Central Pacific Earthquake Authority (CPEA). “The first occurred some time before 9 p.m., they seemed to last 4 to 6 minutes each, and altogether these shaking events lasted approximately 90 minutes in total, separated only by brief periods of non-shaking when some neighbors say they think they heard exotic noises that sounded somewhat like guitars being tuned or tinkered with.”

The quakes were estimated to range between 4.0 and 4.5 on the Richter scale ~ not minor events, Lulu said.

While no damages were reported, neighbors reported that some orange rubber safety cones nearby were toppled.

Some Kahului residents also said that near the end, like after 10 p.m., they could hear faint noises that sounded eerily like the ‘80s goth-punk band the Cure.

“It was weird,” said Louetta Barlow of Kahului. “I swear I thought I heard a beautiful version of ‘Just Like Heaven,’ but then out of nowhere it was disrupted by what sounded like a gnarly, distorted guitar solo, and then everything stopped all the sudden, the sound and the vibrations.

“I think neighbors were happy, because I swear from somewhere over there I heard clapping and cheering.”

MACC officials said other than a concert by alternative rock heroes Dinosaur Jr, the campus was vacant.

“Never had anything like this happen in the 30 years I’ve worked here,” said Jay Mascis, the night custodian at the center. “Well maybe once, when Pearl Jam played Maui the late ‘90s.”

Meanwhile, Lulu and his colleagues over at the Earthquake Authority continue to explore ideas as to why all the epicenters seem to be located around where the stage sits at Castle Theater.

"Extraordinarily peculiar," Lulu said. "It was quite the freak scene of quakes."