Solomon Islands hit by powerful aftershocks after magnitude-7.8 quake

Updated

Residents in Solomon Islands were hit by powerful aftershocks following a magnitude-7.8 earthquake which struck 130 kilometres from the capital Honiara.

Key points: Earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across the pacific, but PTWC says threat has largely passed

Solomon Islands police still have not heard from southern side of island closest to quake

There is no risk to Australia's coastlines

Authorities are starting to receive reports of damage from the earthquake, with police saying they had been told 35 houses were damaged on the island of Makira, including the police barracks at the provincial capital Kirakira.

The quake triggered widespread tsunami warnings across the Pacific, before the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said the threat had largely passed.

Most of the buildings damaged were reportedly traditional-style houses. As yet, there are no confirmed reports of casualties.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia was ready to provide any support once requested.

"The Australian Government has in place pre-positioned supplies for shelter, water, sanitation, food," Ms Bishop said.

"If they're required we can work with the local authorities and with the government of Solomon Islands to provide that."

Authorities are still waiting to hear from a helicopter sent to Makira to survey the island.

Kirakira resident Edith Haunagi, said there was some damage when the quake struck.

"Everybody got up from their beds and everybody ran out from their houses and at the same time everybody moved up to the hillside while it was still shaking, a few of the houses here fell this morning.," Ms Haunagi said.

"Two of the buildings here in Kirakira fell right down to the ground and most of the things in the shops were damaged and people were scared.

"They were running here and there trying to find their kids."

Ms Haunagi said she had contacted people on the southern side of the island, closest to the quake.

"They have said there was a sea rise this morning after the earthquake and a few houses were damaged," she said.

"People ran up to the hillside. There were no reports of deaths but there were reports of damage to properties and buildings that were close to the beach."

The PTWC said local government agencies would continue to monitor any potential threat.

The monitoring body had said tsunami waves of between one and three metres above the tide level were possible along some coasts of Solomon Islands, while waves of between 0.3 and one metre were forecast for some coasts of Papua New Guinea.

The quake struck at 4:38am AEDT at a depth of roughly 48 kilometres, USGS said — it was initially reported to be of magnitude-8.0.

Loti Yates from the National Disaster Management Office in the capital Honiara told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program there had been reports of houses collapsing due to the quake.

"Already there [is] information coming in from Makira as well as parts of Solomon Islands not within the tsunami threat area, [that] confirm some dwellings, houses etc have been collapsed due to the shake," he said.

Mr Yates said poor communication infrastructure had made it hard to assess the immediate impact in Makira.

"[One community] that has been in touch with us said they are calling from up the hills, which is good, they activated their own emergency plans and know what to do, so we are happy.

"The warning has been issued ... at this stage, communication difficulties are hampering our ability to get clear information."

He told the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation there had been reports of landslides in Temotu and Makira provinces.

'It's been quite a hectic morning'

Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation journalist Georgina Kekea said locals in Honiara had taken to higher ground as a precaution.

"People here have been woken up by the earthquake, so it's been quite a hectic morning for us," Ms Kekea said.

"Just people running with their belongings, with their kids and all that to the main road, [trying] to get away as far from the coast as possible in fear of a tsunami."

Australian authorities said there was no risk to its coastlines, while the New Zealand Civil Defence office said it had cancelled the country's tsunami threat.

ABC/Wires

Topics: earthquake, solomon-islands, pacific

First posted</s>A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the Solomon Islands early on Friday, but there were no immediate reports of casualties and a tsunami warning for a wide swathe of the South Pacific following the quake was later lifted.

Solomon Islands national disaster management office director Loti Yates said he had received reports of collapsed buildings in villages in Makira, the island closest to the epicentre of the massive undersea quake, which had initially prompted a tsunami watch as far afield as Hawaii.

“Villages that we have made contact with have evacuated, actually most of the communities that we have spoken with had already evacuated,” Mr Yates told Reuters. “They called us from the hills, which is good.”

Mr Yates said he had not received any reports of deaths.

The US Geological Survey downgraded the quake, which struck at 4.38am (05.38pm GMT Thursday), to magnitude 7.8 from an original reading of 8.0.

It put the depth at about 40km.

The US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had issued warnings for the Solomon Islands and neighbouring island chains of a potentially hazardous tsunami, but a couple of hours after the quake it said the threat had passed.

An initial tsunami watch alert for Hawaii had earlier been cancelled.

John Pirimare, a resident on Nafinua Island, spoke to Reuters from up in the hills, where he evacuated immediately after the quake with about 500 to 600 villagers after they received the tsunami warning on their phones.

“It was a great shock but no serious damage,” Mr Pirimare said.

“Most of the people went straight here; and we won’t leave until the tsunami threat has passed.”

Mr Yates said the authorities in the Solomons would start to assess the damage as morning dawned.

Some 50,000 people live in Makira Province, the closest to the epicentre of the quake.

“It’s not yet clear what sort of impact this has had,” Mr Yates said.

“It was dark so it is just now getting light and we can try and assess the damage.”

James Samani, duty manager at the Solomon Kitano Mendana Hotel in the capital Honiara, said the earthquake was strongly felt but the hotel was not damaged.

“We felt it big and strong in Honiara, but at the moment here in the hotel all the guests are in the lobby,” Mr Samani told Reuters.

Australia said there was no risk to its coastlines. New Zealand also cancelled a marine and beach threat warning.</s>An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 hit off the Solomon Islands at 1738 GMT on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake was initially reported to be of magnitude 8.0.

“Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within the next three hours along some coasts of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tuvalu and Kosrae,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

This is a developing story. Check back for more information.</s>The earthquake hit less than 30 kilometers off the island of Makira -- and 70 kilometers southwest of the island's city of Kirakira -- about 4:38 a.m. local time Friday (12:38 p.m. ET Thursday), the US Geological Survey said.

A number of tsunami warnings issued not long after the quake have been canceled, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

The largest observed wave, according to sea level gauges, was only 0.12 meters near Honiara on the island of Guadalcanal, some 200 kilometers northwest of the epicenter

In an area where temblors are common, "the earthquake was one of the biggest and longest I have ever felt," said Tali Hong, a resident of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. "I was born here in Honiara and lived here most of my life.

"I'm located in central Honiara, in one of the big urban areas. Just checked with my neighbors and surrounding area; there is not visible damage. However, we have no electricity at the moment." At the capital's Heritage Park Hotel along the waterfront, awakened guests came out of their rooms to assess what was happening, said Richard Konari, a receptionist there. Things appeared to be returning to normal, he said. "I have not seen any damage, but the feeling was like nothing I've experienced," Konari said. "It was a more powerful feeling than I've felt in the past." A guest at the hotel, Sita Leota, told CNN she went to higher ground -- a hill by the Parliament -- after reading about the tsunami alert online. "Up on (the hotel's) third floor where I was, the whole building swayed -- like riding a wave," said Leota, who was visiting from Samoa. Paul Chan Tung, of Samoa, sits Friday morning near Solomon Islands' Parliament in the capital, Honiara, after an earthquake off the nation's coasts. He and a friend went to the area near Parliament -- higher ground than the waterfront where they'd been staying -- because of a tsunami alert. A receptionist at Honiara's Pacific Casino Hotel said the shaking -- about five minutes long -- made it feel like she was floating on water. She said she isn't aware of any damage to the building. "We don't experience quakes like this. It's big," she said. Minutes after the major quake, another -- magnitude 5.5 -- hit in the same area. A tsunami watch that had been issued for Hawaii following the first quake was canceled, the PTWC said. Makira, also known as San Cristobal, is one of the southernmost parts of the Solomon Islands, an archipelago located hundreds of kilometers northeast of Australia that is home to more than 500,000 people. The Solomon Islands are along the "Ring of Fire," a zone of seismic activity and volcanoes around the edges of the Pacific Ocean. It's a vast area where about 90% of the world's earthquakes occur, according to the USGS. The ring, which actually is shaped more like a horseshoe, includes more than 400 underwater volcanoes and stretches 25,000 miles from New Zealand, past Japan, across the Bering Strait and down to the tip of South America.</s>In this photo provided by World Vision Solomon Islands, a house in Kirakira, Solomon Islands, is damaged after an earthquake on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Tsunami warnings for several Pacific islands, including those in Hawaii, were canceled Friday after authorities determined that a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck near the Solomon Islands did not pose a broad tsunami threat. (Gray Nako/World Vision Solomon Islands via AP)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Hundreds of people in remote parts of the Solomon Islands have had their homes damaged or destroyed by a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Friday, an aid organization said.

There have been no deaths reported from the quake, which also caused some small tsunami waves in the Solomon Islands and other Pacific islands.

Speaking from the capital Honiara, Suzy Sainovski, World Vision's Pacific Timor-Leste spokeswoman, said it has been hard to get a full assessment from some more remote communities, some of which don't have cellphone coverage.

"There are some initial reports that 3,000 people have been affected," Sainovski said. "Some of these are traditional houses that are on stilts, and made with vegetation."

The quake struck near the island of Makira. Sainovski said in the town of Kirakira on the island, the quake damaged a hospital, a church and other buildings including the World Vision office. She said 20 people were evacuated from a hospital.

She said the quake had caused some power failures throughout the country.

Micha Maghe, World Vision's water sanitation and health project coordinator in Kirakira, said the quake had been terrifying.

"When I got outside I could hear children crying, people shouting," she said in a statement. "We assembled at a school and I saw people moving towards high ground. ... People just panicked and were frightened."

Sainovski said there continued to be a number of aftershocks and power cuts.

Tsunami warnings for several Pacific islands, including Hawaii, were canceled Friday after authorities determined the earthquake didn't pose a broad tsunami threat.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit about 200 kilometers (120 miles) southeast of Honiara and about 68 kilometers (42 miles) from Kirakira.

The epicenter was relatively deep at 48 kilometers (30 miles) below the surface. Deeper quakes generally cause less damage on the ground.

The Solomon Islands are located in the Pacific's geologically active "Ring of Fire."</s>A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit off the Solomon Islands early on Friday, triggering a tsunami warning in a wide area of the South Pacific that has now been canceled.

The quake struck at 4:38 a.m. at a depth of 30 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was initially reported to be of magnitude 8.0.

Tsunami warnings for several Pacific islands, including those in Hawaii, were canceled after authorities determined the quake did not pose a broad tsunami threat.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves of up to 10 feet were still possible along the coast of the Solomon Islands and smaller tsunami waves could hit Papua New Guinea.

There were reports of some power outages in the Solomon Islands, although there were no immediate reports of widespread damage or injuries from the quake.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit about 120 miles southeast of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. The epicenter was relatively deep at 30 miles below the surface. Deeper quakes generally cause less damage on the ground.

The Solomon Islands are located in the Pacific’s geologically active “Ring of Fire.”</s>An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 hit the Solomon Islands at 17:38 GMT on Thursday, the U.S.Geological Survey said. The quake was initially reported to be of magnitude 8.0.

“Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within the next three hours along some coasts of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tuvaluand Kosrae,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.</s>A tsunami warning has been issued after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the Solomon Islands.

The quake hit soon after 5.30pm (GMT) with the epicentre off the coast of Makira Island, which has a population of around 10,000.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said: “Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within the next three hours along some coasts of the Solomon Islands, Hawaii, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tuvalu and Kosrae.”

The Solomon Islands, a British overseas territory until 1978, are part of the so-called ‘Pacific ring of fire’ which is prone to large earthquakes.

There have been reports of blackouts in the capital city Honiara. One resident, Tali Hong, told NBC: "The earthquake was one of the biggest and longest I have ever felt.

"I was born here in Honiara and lived here most of my life.

"I'm located in central Honiara, in one of the big urban areas. Just checked with my neighbours and surrounding area; there is not visible damage. However, we have no electricity at the moment."</s>WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Tsunami warnings for several Pacific islands, including those in Hawaii, were Friday after authorities determined that a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck near the Solomon Islands did not pose a broad tsunami threat.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves of up to 3 (10 feet) were still possible along the coast of the Solomon Islands and smaller tsunami waves could hit Papua New Guinea.

There were reports of some power outages in the Solomon Islands, although there were no immediate reports of widespread damage or injuries from the quake.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit about 200 (120 miles) southeast of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. The epicenter was relatively deep at 48 (30 miles) below the surface. Deeper quakes generally cause less damage on the ground.

The Solomon Islands are located in the Pacific's geologically active "Ring of Fire."</s>The 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the Solomon Islands December 10, 2016 came just one day after another 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the archipelago (AFP Photo/PEDRO PARDO)

A strong 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Saturday off the Solomon Islands, one day after a major quake, raising the threat of hazardous tsunami waves, officials said.

However, police in the nearest centre to the off-shore tremor said there were no reports of fresh damage and residents did not flee their homes as they had the previous day.

The epicentre of the latest quake, which hit at 6:10 am (1910 GMT Friday), was located 90 kilometres (55 miles) west of Kirakira, a provincial capital in the Solomons, at a depth of 10 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had said there was no tsunami threat from the quake but later forecasted "hazardous tsunami waves" 1-3 metres (3-10 feet) above tide level along some coasts of the Solomons.

It warned of waves up to 0.3 metres along the coasts of Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

However, Donald Tehimae, the duty officer at the Kirakira police station, said there was no immediate sign the fresh tremor had any serious impact.

"Everything is okay," he said.

"Yesterday, everyone evacuated to the highlands but after the cancellation of the tsunami warning we all came back. This time we all stayed here."

USGS said there was low likelihood of casualties and damage from the quake.

Friday's major 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the archipelago, triggering severe shaking and a tsunami warning, but there were no reports of any serious damage.

The Solomon Islands are part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire", a zone of tectonic activity known for frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions.

In 2007, an 8.0-magnitude quake in the Solomon Islands claimed 52 lives and left thousands homeless when it created a 10-metre tsunami.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of Makira in the Solomon Islands, causing infrastructure damage, yet no casualties have been reported in the hours following the quake.