Tsunami hits Solomon Islands, nine dead, hundreds of homes destroyed [1]
Thursday, February 7, 2013 - 17:46. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
Reports out of the Solomon Islands in the last few hours have reported nine deaths so far in the aftermath of yesterday’s tsunami with hundreds of homes destroyed on the island of Santa Cruz in the Eastern province of Temotu.
A magnitude 8 Earthquake that struck Santa Cruz Island around mid-day (12:12pm) generated the tsunami, which reportedly flooded the Island with 1.5m (4ft 11in) waves.
Although the capital city Honiara and main Islands were unaffected, villages on Santa Cruz Island in the province of Temotu have been damaged with eight people confirmed dead. A small village, Nela, on Santa Cruz Island is said to have been almost completely destroyed.
No reports have been made for the much smaller and more vulnerable islands of Tikopia, Vanikoro, Anuta and Utupua, which are part of the Temotu Province.