Solomon Islands Hit by Magnitude 6.6 Earthquake

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 hit off the Solomon Islands on Monday, March 7, 2011, at 9:38 a.m. local time.

The quake was 19.1 miles deep and hit approximately 80 miles west of Kira Kira, 83 miles southeast of Honiara, 112 miles south of Auki, and 925 miles east of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

A slight panic could be seen in central Honiara's CBD, where workers could be seen running into clear arrears. Several workers were told to return home, particularly those that work in Honiara's few high rise buildings.

There are currently no reports of injuries and no tsunami warning has been issued.
Solomon Islands lie very close to the "Ring of Fire" where approximately 90 percent of the world's earthquakes take place.