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Quake Strikes Solomons Tsunami Warning Downgraded
Large Earthquake Strikes Solomon Islands – Tsunami Warning Downgraded
UPDATED Scoop Report: - An earthquake struck measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale at 8.40am (NZT) today centered about 350km west-north-west of the Solomons Islands capital Honiara. The quake had a depth of 10km. Initial tsunami warnings have been downgraded.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre early this morning reported that a tsunami wave crashed into the west coast of the Solomon Islands. The PTWC issued a tsunami watch warning for low-lying coastal areas of the Pacific, especially including Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and beyond.
Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre image
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The centre has since downgraded that warning unless fresh seismic activity triggers heightened dangers.
The Solomon Islands Government has issued this account: "Waves crashed islands in the two provinces this morning after an earth tremor measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale hit.
"Reports from Gizo police said the lower lying areas in the tourist town of Gizo have been completely covered, while the nearby towns of Noro and Munda including surrounding villages continued to receive huge waves.
"The main wharf at Noro ports in Western Province is reported to have “cracked in the middle”, and the small wharf completely dismantled with all timbers washed away.
"The Noro cannery has been affected and all residents have been evacuated up the hills on the island.
"People reporting from rural email stations in the two provinces also reported continuous waves traveling at least 500 meters inland."
At least two people were confirmed dead and several others missing in Sasamunga village in South Choiseul as 10 meter waves move 500 meters inland, destroying villages, food gardens and domesticated animals and a hospital.
Choiseul Premier, Jackson Kiloe confirmed from Taro Island at midday today that 10 meter high waves continue to hit the Southern part of Choiseul Island.
He said people are now rushing inland to higher ground as fear griped the entire Western and Choiseul provinces after an earth quake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale hit the Western part of Solomon Islands at 7 am this morning.
Premier Jackson Kiloe described the sea changes on the western coast of Choiseul as “strangely frightening”.
He said the present sea activities involving huge rolling waves which repeatedly caused dry seas deeper into the ocean have exposed fish and other marine lives.
He said the earth quake that hit the Western Solomon’s this morning was strongly felt twice in Choiseul province.
“We are currently evacuating Taro Island residents and others in coastal areas to higher ground.
“The huge wave rolls are stronger than floods.
“They are causing large areas of ocean to dry up exposing fish and other marine lives,” Mr Kiloe said by phone from Taro Island.
Radio New Zealand International reports: In Solomons Islands there are reports of damage in the township of Gizo and the whereabouts of several people is unknown after this morning’s earthquake. 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.
RNZI reports the French High Commisson in New Caledonia has decided to evacuate people from the main island’s east coast and the Loyalty Islands. The National Weather Service in American Samoa has issued a tsunami watch for the entire territory for the next five hours, following the earthquake that hit Solomon Islands, the RNZI report states.
Australia's ABC radio reported police in the Solomon Islands western town of Gizo said a wave several metres high crashing ashore. A Solomons national disaster management office program officer said a wave had hit parts of the far west of the Solomons, near Bougainville. "Two villages were reported to have been completely inundated, also on the nearby island called Molo we received reports of four people missing following the tsunami," Julian Mekai told ABC Radio.
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