Solomon Islands Hit by Powerful 7.7 Quake; No Severe Damage Reported Thursday Dec 08,2016

A major 7.7-magnitude quake struck on Thursday Dec 08,2016 off the Solomon Islands triggering severe shaking and a tsunami warning, but there were no reports of any serious damage, officials said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre initially said there could be possible "widespread, hazardous" tsunami waves, forcing villagers to flee to higher ground.

But within three hours the warning was downgraded after the threat passed without major incident.
The epicentre of the quake, which hit at 4:38 AM, was located 68 kilometres (42 miles) west of Kirakira, a provincial capital in the Solomon Islands, at a depth of 48 kilometres, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Electricity supplies were cut in some areas and there were reports of thatched houses collapsing