Four quakes hit off Solomon Islands
Pastor Dale Morgan
*Four quakes hit off Solomon Islands*
From correspondents in Honiara
February 17, 2007 11:36pm
Article from: Agence France-Presse
FOUR moderate earthquakes struck off the Solomon Islands today,
seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or
damage.
The first quake, measuring 5.6, hit at 6.43pm (AEDT) off the northwest
tip of the main island in the Solomon Sea, the US Geological Survey said.
It struck 116km southwest of the town of Chirovanga at a depth of 50km.
The second struck four minutes later in the same area with a magnitude
of 5.3 at a depth of 60km, according to the USGS.
A third 5.0-magnitude tremor hit nine minutes later also in the same
location at a depth of 59km.
Less than two hours later in the same area, another struck, 49km deep
and measuring 5.1.
The Pacific nation, 2575km east of Australia, has just fewer than
500,000 people living on dozens of islands.
It is part of the Pacific "ring of fire", and frequently experiences
volcanic and seismic activity.