World

Photo: Contributed - USGS

Solomon Islands

6:09 a.m. update: A powerful earthquake Wednesday off the Solomon Islands generated a small tsunami that damaged dozens of homes and left several people missing and presumed dead in the South Pacific island chain.

Authorities cancelled tsunami warnings on more distant coasts.

Solomons officials reported two 1.5-metre waves hit the western side of Santa Cruz Island, damaging between 70 and 80 homes and properties, said George Herming, a spokesman for the prime minister. Many villagers had headed to higher ground as a precaution, Herming said.

Solomon Islands Police Commissioner John Lansley said local police patrols reported that several people were presumed dead, though the reports were still being verified.

"Sadly, we believe some people have lost their lives," he said. "At the moment we potentially know of four, but there may of course be more."

One of the people presumed dead was fishing in a dugout canoe when the first wave hit, sweeping him out to sea, Herming said. Officials were searching for his body. Another woman was believed to have drowned when the water rushed into her village, Herming said.

Four villages on Santa Cruz were hit by the waves, with two facing severe damage, Lansley said. Other areas of the Solomons did not appear to have been seriously affected.

8:36 p.m. update: A powerful earthquake off the Solomon Islands generated a tsunami of up to 1.5 metres that damaged dozens of homes in the South Pacific island chain Wednesday, but authorities cancelled warnings for tsunamis on more distant coasts.

Solomons officials reported 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. Villagers were heading for higher ground as a precaution, Herming 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.

8 p.m. update: A powerful earthquake in the South Pacific generated a tsunami Wednesday that prompting warnings to several island nations and sent residents fleeing for higher ground.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami of about a meter was measured in Lata wharf, in the Solomon Islands. The centre said a 12-centimetre wave was observed in neighbouring Vanuatu. No damage was immediately reported in either island nation.

The statement said the waves could be destructive near the epicenter and threaten more distant coasts.

The tsunami formed after an 8.0-magnitude earthquake near Lata 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.

7:30 p.m. A powerful earthquake in the South Pacific generated a tsunami Wednesday that prompting warnings to several island nations.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami of .9 metres (3 feet) was measured in Lata wharf, in the Solomon Islands. No damage was immediately reported there or in Vanuatu, which also was covered by the warning.

The statement said the waves could be destructive near the epicenter and threaten more distant coasts.

The tsunami formed after a 8.0-magnitude earthquake near near Lata 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.

In Honiara, the warning 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 George Herming, a spokesman for the prime minister. So far, he had received no reports that a wave had been observed in Honiara.

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 tsunami warning also covered Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, Wallis and Futuna. A tsunami watch is in effect for American Samoa, Australia, New Zealand and eastern Indonesia.

An official at the disaster management office in neighbouring Vanuatu said there were no reports of damage or injuries there.

More than 50 people were killed and thousands lost their homes in April 2007 when a magnitude 8.1 quake hit the western Solomon Islands, sending waves crashing into coastal villages.