A quake measuring at least magnitude 6 has hit off the Solomon Islands, but Australian seismologists say there is little risk of a tsunami.
The US Geological Survey says the quake was about 270km west-northwest of the capital Honiara and
112km southeast of the western city of Gizo at a depth of about 9km on Friday.
Geoscience Australia measured the quake at about 6.2 magnitude, but said it was unlikely to create a tsunami or cause serious damage in the capital, AFP reports.
Seismologist Hugh Glanville says there may be some damage in Gizo, a centre with 6000 people.
The Solomon Islands form part of the Ring of Fire, a zone of tectonic activity around the Pacific Ocean that is subject to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
In 2007 a tsunami following an 8.1-magnitude earthquake killed at least 52 people in the Solomons and left thousands homeless.
