7.1 magnitude quake strikes off Solomon Islands

Honiara, Feb 8 (AFP) A 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit off the Solomon Islands today, two days after an 8.0-magnitude quake sparked a tsunami, but there was no threat of widespread destructive waves this time, US agencies said. The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at 10:12 pm (1112 GMT) near the Santa Cruz Islands, which are part of the Solomons, at a relatively shallow depth of nine kilometres (5.5 miles). The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said "no destructive widespread tsunami threat exists based on historical earthquake and tsunami data". "However, earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts located within 100 kilometres of the earthquake epicentre," it added in a statement. It was the latest strong aftershock to hit the area affected by Wednesday's tsunami, which killed 13 people with many more reported missing. The aftershocks were hampering efforts to reach remote villages, up to 20 of which were through to have been swamped on Ndende island in the east of the island nation. Some 6,000 people were thought to be homeless, the national disaster management office said. (AFP) KUN 02081812 NNNN