Digital News Report – Magnitude 7.2 and 6.5 earthquakes hit near the Solomon Islands with no immediate reports of injury or property damage. The 6.5 quake hit at 01:48:06 PM (PST) followed by a 7.2 quake which struck at 02:36:30 PM (PST) on Sunday, January 03, 2010.
The U.S. Geological Survey has recorded several other quakes or aftershocks in the 5 range on the Richter Scale. They report that the larger quake was centered 105 km (65 miles) SSE of Gizo, New Georgia Islands, Solomon Island. The smaller quake which occurred nearly an hour earlier was about 90 km (55 miles) SSE of Gizo.
There were no warnings at the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center website. Another quake back in April 2007 spurred a tsunami which destroyed one town and killed more than 50 people.
By Sam Lee