A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Solomon Islands on Wednesday afternoon, just few months after a major earthquake struck the same area triggering a tsunami that killed nine people.
The earthquake struck at about 3:47 p.m. local time and was centered about 89 kilometers (55 miles) south-southeast of Lata, the provincial capital of Temotu Province on Nendo island, which is part of the Santa Cruz Islands in the Solomon Islands. It struck about 64.7 kilometers (40.2 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
It is understood an assessment will be made today, although officials say there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
A major 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck the same area on February 6, triggering a tsunami no less than 1 meter (3.4 feet) high that traveled up to 500 meters (546 yard) inland and destroyed entire villages, killing nine people and injuring 13 others. Nearly 1,000 people were left homeless.
The Solomon Islands are on the so-called 'Pacific Ring of Fire', an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent and large earthquakes. The Solomon Islands arc as a whole experiences a very high level of earthquake activity, and many tremors of magnitude 7 and larger have been recorded since the early decades of the twentieth century.
On April 2, 2007, a massive 8.1-magnitude earthquake struck close to the New Georgia Islands of the Solomon Islands. It unleashed a regional tsunami, killing 52 people and destroying more than 300 homes, schools and a hospital at Sasamunga. Two people were killed as a result of landslides, which were triggered by the earthquake.
With WireUpdate.com