Second quake in Solomon Islands

Another big quake near Solomons

Solomon Islands has been hit by a second powerful earthquake in less than 24 hours

Radio NZ,

14 April, 2014

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The 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the Solomon Islands hours after a 7.6 tremor, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake occurred at 11.36pm local time on Sunday at a depth of 35 kilometres, and was centred 111 kilometres south of Kirakira on San Cristobel and 321 kilometres south-east of the capital Honiara.

A 7.6 quake had woken residents of Honiara early on Sunday. It struck about 300 kilometres from the capital and was followed 10 minutes later by a 5.9-magnitude aftershock.

National Disaster Management Office director Loti Yates said no damage had been immediately reported, but little could be checked before daylight.

Oxfam Solomon Islands director Katie Greenwood said there were reports that one person died after they first earthquake as they were trying to go to higher ground, and reports of minor damage.

The quakes come as thousands of Solomon Islanders remain in evacuation centres following devastating flash floods on 3 April which left more than 20 dead. Several more are still missing in Honiara after the city's main river burst its banks following days of heavy rain.

Ms Greenwood told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme Solomon Islanders are resilient but the natural disasters have taken a toll. "There have been in fact 36 earthquakes and tremors and aftershocks ... over that last 24 hour period and with what has already happened it does certainly take its psychological toll."

A tsunami warning issued for Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center following the second quake has since been lifted.

A potential tsunami advisory threat was issued for New Zealand but was cancelled soon after. However the Ministry of Civil Defence said northwestern parts of the North Island and the west coast of the South Island may experience strong currents over the next 24 hours, and it is strongly advising caution

Honiara journalist Dorothy Wickham said the National Disaster Council was warning people to stay away from low-lying areas as the islands experienced high waves. "People are moving away from the coasts and are going up into the hills, but I have not heard of any damage," she said.

New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said the country had has already contributed aid to the Solomons following the floods and more help was being arranged.

He told Report the Government was likely to send medical staff to help with treating people injured in the quakes. New Zealand has also been asked for help with repairing bridges and is looking at what it can do.

The Solomons are part of the "Ring of Fire", a zone of tectonic activity around the Pacific that is subject to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

A 6.1-magnitude tremor hit the Solomons on Saturday and a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake and 6.7 aftershock struck off Papua New Guinea's Bougainville island on Friday, to the west of the Solomons, AFP reports.

In February last year, the Solomon Islands were hit by a major 8.0 magnitude quake that generated small but deadly tsunami waves which washed away houses and reached as far away as Japan. In 2007, a tsunami following an 8.0-magnitude earthquake killed at least 52 people in the Solomons and left thousands homeless.