Tsunami hits homes in Solomons, four people killed - The Australian Financial Review

A map from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre shows the epicentre of a major earthquake off the Solomon Islands.

Adam Rollason

An 8-magnitude earthquake has struck off the Solomon Islands, triggering a tsunami and reportedly destroying homes in the island nation and killing four people.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said the quake hit at 11.07am AEDT on Wednesday near the Santa Cruz Islands, generating a tsunami that affected some coastal areas.

"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the epicentre," the centre said. Geoscience Australia said a wave measuring 90 centimetres had been recorded at the town of Lata.

Soon after the quake, the PTWC issued a tsunami warning for the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, Wallis and Futuna. It also issued a tsunami watch for Australia and New Zealand, and all the way to Indonesia.

Less then three hours later, all warnings and watch alerts were cancelled.

The quake was centred about 70km west of Lata and nearly 600km from the national capital, Honiara. The PTWC initially said the quake struck at a shallow depth of less then 6 kilometres, but later revised the figure to 33 kilometres.

Irene Scott, an Australian reporter working for the Honiara-based Paoa FM radio station, told The Australian Financial Review that the quake wasn't felt in the capital.

"We're too far away, but we've had reports that a wave has hit Lata, that's the capital of Temotu province.

"But we've just spoken to a guy who says it's more like a high tide than a large wave," she said.

"We've also heard that the airport has been flooded, but I've been told it's quite close to the shore and not very high, and a number of homes have been impacted, but we're yet to find out how many homes."

The director at Lata Hospital on the main Santa Cruz island of Ndende, told AFP there is information that "some villages west and south of Lata along the coast have been destroyed, although we cannot confirm this yet".

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said its "Embassies and High Commissions in the region are aware of the possible tsunami and are liaising with local authorities, hotels and other locations were Australians may be located".

"We recommend that Australians in the region continue to monitor local media and follow the advice of local authorities," it added.

The Solomon Islands form part of the Ring of Fire, a zone of tectonic activity around the Pacific Ocean that is subject to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

With AFP/Reuters