A magnitude-4.5 earthquake rattled the slopes of Mauna Kea on Wednesday afternoon, but caused no damage or injuries, Hawaii County Civil Defense officials said.

The quake occurred at 2:10 p.m. in Waikoloa and was too small to cause a tsunami, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach.

The Waimea headquarters of the Keck Observatory was briefly evacuated, said communications officer Larry O’Hanlon. He said the main quake lasted less than 10 seconds and was followed by several aftershocks. He said engineers determined there was no damage at the observatory atop Mauna Kea, where the quake also was felt.

"It wasn’t a big quake, but it was a very sharp jolt followed by some more rolling waves," he said. "It rattled people."

The quake was centered about six miles northwest of Mauna Kea’s summit, according to Civil Defense. About 25 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 2.0 to 3.6, were recorded in the hour after the quake.

John Drummond, Hawaii island civil defense administrative officer in Hilo, said some people in the office felt a light shaking. About a dozen people called within minutes wanting to know how large the quake was, but none reported damage.

David Harada-Stone, an attorney in Waimea, was working at his home when he felt a sharp shake that caused the dinnerware to rattle and his dogs to scurry around.

"It was just a quick jolt, but more of a jolt than I’ve felt recently," he said, adding that he felt several smaller aftershocks. "All of the tremors were really quick."

The initial quake was about 12 miles deep and 13 miles southeast of Waimea, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was felt throughout the island, according to reports from the public compiled by the USGS.