Magnitude 7.7 Quake Hits Solomon Islands, Tsunami Warning Raised

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) will issue messages hourly until the threat has passed, it said.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit off the Solomon Islands early on Friday, triggering a tsunami warning in a wide area of the South Pacific.

The quake struck at 4:38 am (1738 GMT Thursday) at a depth of 49 km (30 miles), the US Geological Survey said. It was initially reported to be of magnitude 8.0.

Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within the next three hours along some coasts of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tuvalu and Kosrae.

US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC)

Authorities are looking to see if there is a tsunami threat to Hawaii, the PTWC said, adding that the estimated earliest arrival of any tsunami wave there would be 2:56 pm Hawaii Standard Time (0056 GMT Friday).

The quake was centered about 200 kilometers (120 miles) southeast of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands are located in the Pacific's geologically active "Ring of Fire."

(With AP and Reuters inputs)