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Powerful earthquake strikes off Solomon Islands
A powerful magnitude 8.0 earthquake has struck off the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean, generating a "potentially destructive" tsunami.
The quake struck at a depth of 5.8km (3.6 miles) near the Santa Cruz islands, part of the Solomon Islands nation, the US Geological Survey said.
A tsunami warning was issued for the South Pacific islands by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.
The centre said the tsunami could be destructive near the epicentre.
"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated," the Hawaii-based centre said.
"It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicentre and could also be a threat to more distant coasts."
The warning was issued for the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, and Wallis and Futuna islands.
A tsunami watch was issued for other nations in the South Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.
However, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology later said Australia was not at risk from a tsunami.
The Solomon Islands form part of the Ring Of Fire, a zone of volcanic arcs and oceanic trenches encircling the Pacific basin.
The 8.0 earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, the largest measuring 6.4 magnitude.
The region has been experiencing a series of smaller quakes in recent days.
A powerful magnitude 8.0 earthquake has struck off the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean, generating a "potentially destructive" tsunami.
The quake struck at a depth of 5.8km (3.6 miles) near the Santa Cruz islands, part of the Solomon Islands nation, the US Geological Survey said.
A tsunami warning was issued for the South Pacific islands by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.
The centre said the tsunami could be destructive near the epicentre.
"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated," the Hawaii-based centre said.
"It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicentre and could also be a threat to more distant coasts."
The warning was issued for the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, and Wallis and Futuna islands.
A tsunami watch was issued for other nations in the South Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.
However, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology later said Australia was not at risk from a tsunami.
The Solomon Islands form part of the Ring Of Fire, a zone of volcanic arcs and oceanic trenches encircling the Pacific basin.
The 8.0 earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, the largest measuring 6.4 magnitude.
The region has been experiencing a series of smaller quakes in recent days.
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