Small tsunami hits Solomon Islands

Feb 6 2013

A powerful earthquake off the Solomon Islands has generated a tsunami of up to 1.5 metres that damaged dozens of homes in the South Pacific island chain but warnings for tsunamis on more distant coasts have been cancelled.

Two 1.5-metre waves hit the western side of Santa Cruz Island, damaging around 50 homes and properties, said George Herming, a spokesman for the prime minister.

There were no reports of injuries or deaths but villagers were heading for higher ground as a precaution, he said.

The tsunami formed after an 8.0-magnitude earthquake near Lata on Santa Cruz in Temotu province, the easternmost province of the Solomons, about a 3-hour flight from the capital, Honiara. The region has a population of around 30,000 people.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said a tsunami of about a metre was measured in Lata wharf, in the Solomon Islands. The centre said an 11cm wave was observed in neighboring Vanuatu.

The centre has cancelled earlier warnings for tsunami waves further away.

In Honiara, the warnings had prompted residents to flee for higher ground. "People are still standing on the hills outside of Honiara just looking out over the water, trying to observe if there is a wave coming in," said Mr Herming.

Atenia Tahu, who works for the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corp. in Honiara, said most people were remaining calm.

"People around the coast and in the capital are ringing in and trying to get information from us and the National Disaster Office and are slowly moving up to higher ground," Tahu said. "But panic? No, no, no, people are not panicking."

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck 50 miles west of Lata, at a depth of 3.6 miles.