A major, shallow earthquake struck the Solomon Islands this evening
Saturday 26th June 2010
A magnitude seven earthquake struck the Solomon Islands at 5:30 this evening New Zealand time.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports the quake as magnitude 6.9, centred 55 km west-south-west of Kira Kira, on the island of San Cristobal (205 km south-east of the Solomon Islands capital Honiara) at a depth of 35 km.
Geoscience Australia reports the quake as magnitude 7.0 at a depth of 100 km. It estimates that the quake would have caused damage within 100 km of the epicentre and would have been felt up to 1200 km away.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre reported the quake as magnitude 7.1 at a depth of 30 km. In a bulletin issued at 5:40 p.m. New Zealand time it advised that, based on historical data, a widespread tsunami threat did not exist.
The quake was centred undersea close to Maroghu on the island of San Cristobal. Most of the island is within the damage zone estimated by Geoscience Australia.
[Compiled from data supplied by the U.S. Geological Survey and its contributing agencies, the U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, and Geoscience Australia.]