Environment Pacific News.com 12 Dead In Solomons Tsunami

Monday morning’s 8.1 earthquake in Solomons Islands (local time) brings reports of damage in Gizo, of huge coastal waves and 12 people killed News from the island of Simbo spoke of damaged building and 3 meter waves traveling 200 meters inland.

A wave crashed ashore at Gizo, 40 km from the tembler's epicenter, inundating buildings and causing widespread destruction. Reports indicate coastal houses were flattened as a 3-meter-high surge of water swept through the town.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii put the strength of the earthquake at 7.8 but Geosience Australia has upgraded the quake to 8.1. A Tsunami altert was issued, then cancelled as the wave action seemed localized.

IRIS SM
IRIS SEISMIC MONITOR - the red circles indicate earthquakes in the past 48 hours

The US Geological Survey says the quake's epicenter was located 45 kilometers south of the New Georgia Islands, around 350 kilometers west-north-west of the capital Honiara, at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Any quake of a magnitude greater than six can trigger a tsunami. So far there have been no reports of high waves beyond the immedaite region around the earthquake.

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