Quake Topples Buildings in Solomon Islands, Killing Up to Eight

Apr 01, 11:29 PM

Current Headlines: Excerpts from report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo

Sydney, 2 April: A magnitude 8.0 earthquake occurred Monday (2 April) in the South Pacific Ocean off the Solomon Islands, the US Geological Survey said, with reports from the area of up to eight deaths and serious structural damage.

The quake, which was followed by strong aftershocks, struck at 7:39 a.m. local time and caused serious damage, including about 60 buildings that collapsed, in and around the township of Gizo in the western Solomon Islands, officials of the island nation told Kyodo News by phone.

The Associated Press quoted a man who answered the telephone at the Gizo police station said up to eight people had been killed by the tsunami - including a man, a woman and six children - but said the deaths were still unconfirmed.

Another witness was quoted as saying a wave some 3 meters high caused buildings to completely collapse, leaving between 2,000- 3,000 people homeless.

[Passages omitted]

The Japan International Cooperation Agency's office in the Solomon Islands received reports of unusual waves and damage to housing, according to JICA officials.

(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring Newsfile. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.