Wellington, Nov. 22 (BNA): A powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Solomon Islands on Tuesday afternoon, turning tables and sending people racing to higher ground.
There were no immediate reports of widespread damage or injuries, although the Australian prime minister said the roof of the High Commission had collapsed. The Associated Press reported that an initial tsunami warning was withdrawn after the threat passed.
Solomon Islands government spokesman George Herming said he was in his office on the second floor of a building in the capital, Honiara, when the quake rocked the city. He said he crawled under his table.
“It was a huge event that shocked everyone,” Herming said.
“We have tables, desks, books and everything scattered everywhere as a result of the earthquake, but there is no significant damage to the structures or buildings,” he said.
Herming said the Solomon Islands, which are home to about 700,000 people, do not have any tall buildings that might be vulnerable to earthquakes. He said there was some panic around town and traffic jams as everyone tried to drive to higher ground.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said all Australian High Commission staff were safe.
“There are no known casualties, but the roof of the High Commission building has collapsed, which indicates potential damage throughout the city,” Albanese told Parliament.
“Staff have been moved to higher ground because a tsunami warning has been issued. Our UNHCR is working to ensure all Australians are safe in the Solomon Islands. There are difficulties because the phone lines are down. So there are communication difficulties there,” Albanese added.
Freelance journalist Charlie Berenji said he was standing outside near schools on the outskirts of Honiara when the earthquake sent children running.
“The earthquake hit the place,” he said. “It was big. We were all shocked, everyone running everywhere.”
The epicenter was in the ocean 56 kilometers (35 miles) southwest of Honiara at a depth of 13 kilometers (8 miles), according to the US Geological Survey.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned of potentially dangerous waves for the area, but later relaxed the tsunami warning as the threat passed.
The Solomon Islands sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc along the edge of the Pacific Ocean where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.
MI