The Solomon Islands earthquake

Villages 'destroyed' in Solomon Islands by tsunami, hospital braces for casualties

Villages in the Solomon Islands have been destroyed by a tsunami generated by a massive earthquake, ONE News has been told.

TVNZ,

6 February, 2013

Director of Nursing Augustine Bilve at Lata Hospital said he had received information that three villages close to Lata had been hit.

"But it's more likely that other villages along the coast of Santa Cruz would also be affected," Bilve said.

He said up to 700 people lived in the villages and that the hospital was expecting "many" casualties.

Charles Ngali, who is in the hospital, which is on high ground, told ONE News that he felt a series of strong earthquakes.

At Lata Hospital in the Solomons, most of the patients have been taken to higher ground.

An early report said the tsunami measured 0.9 metres (3ft) after an 8.0 quake at a very shallow depth of only 5km, struck 340km east of Kira Kira in the Solomons.

The US Tsunami Warning Center has since cancelled the tsunami warning for Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, Wallis and Futuna.

The tsunami watch issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center is now cancelled for Marshall Islands, Howland and Baker,Pohnpei, Tokelau, Samoa, Kermadec Islands, American Samoa,Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Niue, Cook Islands, Indonesia, Wake Island, Chuuk, Jarvis Island, Guam, Northern Marianas, Palmyra Island, Yap, Johnston Island Minamitorishima, Belau.