Tsunami panic in South Pacific after major quake hits Solomon Islands
At least five killed and homes destroyed as waves batter coastal areas in South Pacific
A major magnitude 8 earthquake jolted the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific yesterday, causing small tsunami waves that killed at least five people and left dozens of homes damaged or destroyed.
A quake-generated wave of just under a metre high reached parts of the Solomons, with Vanuatu and New Caledonia also reporting rising sea levels, before the tsunami alert was lifted.
Sirens were heard in Fiji, with one local tweeting from the capital: "Chaos in the streets of Suva as everyone tries to avoid the tsunami!!"
Japan, which was hit by a huge tsunami in March 2011 that killed more than 19,000 people, was also on edge for a time.
The national weather agency warned that a minor tsunami could come ashore, but only small waves were detected. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre cancelled its regional alert for Pacific-island nations about two-and-a-half hours after the quake struck near the Santa Cruz Islands in the Solomons.