Strong 6.0 earthquake hits off the Solomon Islands

Strong 6.0 earthquake hits off the Solomon Islands

2011-07-21 06:26:29 GMT+7 (ICT)

KIRA KIRA, SOLOMON ISLANDS (BNO NEWS) -- A strong earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday morning, seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The 6.0-magnitude earthquake at 9.04 a.m. local time (2204 GMT Wednesday) was centered about 28 kilometers (17 miles) east-northeast of Kirakira on Makira Island of the Solomon Islands, which consists of nearly 1,000 islands. It struck about 22.5 kilometers (14 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

It was not immediately known if there was damage or if there were casualties as a result of the earthquake, but the USGS estimated that some 8,000 people may have felt strong shaking which could potentially result in light to moderate damage. Another 83,000 people were estimated to have perceived light to moderate shaking.

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. Volcanic eruptions also occur frequently in the region.

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.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-07-21