June 26, 2010

A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck near Kira Kira in the Solomon Islands, CNN reported this morning, citing the U.S. Geological Survey

It was centred 55 kilometres west-southwest of San Christobal in the Solomon Islands at a depth of 35 kilometres under the ocean's floor.

loreen Maina, a worker at the King Solomon Hotel in Honiara, the capital city of the Solomon Islands, was quoted as saying that the ground shook, but there was no structural damage to surrounding buildings.

The Solomon Islands' National Disaster Council spokesman Julian Makaa said he had had no early reports of damage or injury in the wake of the temblor. "We did feel the earthquake (in the capital) ... and people in the affected area said they felt a big earthquake," Makaa was quoted as saying. "We're checking by radio links and by telephone, but we haven't received any reports of damage," he said, adding that the council was "still monitoring the situation."

No tsunami warning had been issued. There had been no immediate reports of damage or casualties. "A destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center was quoted as saying.

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