8-magnitude earthquake, massive tsunami warning issued.

On the morning of January 6th, a powerful 8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Solomon Islands, prompting the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to issue a tsunami warning across the South Pacific islands.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 1:12 GMT (approximately 8:12 AM Vietnam time) near the Santa Cruz Islands in the Solomon Islands. The epicenter was at a depth of only 5.8 km.

On the morning of January 6th, a powerful 8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Solomon Islands.
- Photo: en.wikipedia.org

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that the earthquake could trigger a massive tsunami near the epicenter.

A 90cm high tsunami wave appeared after the 8-magnitude earthquake, followed by at least five strong aftershocks of 6.4 magnitude near the epicenter.

According to AFP, the epicenter was located 580 km from the capital Honiara, and many villages in the Solomon Islands were flattened after the earthquake. Tsunami warnings were issued in a number of Pacific island nations including the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, Wallis and Futuna.

Tsunami waves are also being monitored in Australia, New Zealand, and eastern Indonesia.

In 2007, a powerful 8.1 magnitude earthquake in the Solomon Islands triggered a tsunami that killed 52 people and left thousands homeless.

The Solomon Islands are a Melanesian island nation located east of Papua New Guinea, comprising nearly a thousand small islands spread over an area of ​​approximately 28,400 km². Its capital is Honiara, situated on Guadalcanal Island.

The Solomon Islands lie on the Ring of Fire – an area of ​​intense seismic activity and frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

According to Tuoi Tre - DT