Third strong quake in two weeks hits off Solomon Islands

A magnitude 6.0 quake hits Solomon Islands, 83 kilometers west northwest of Kirikara Sunday, December 18.  (Photo grabbed from usgs.gov website)
A magnitude 6.0 quake hits Solomon Islands, 83 kilometers west northwest of Kirakira Sunday, December 18. (Photo grabbed from usgs.gov website)

 

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the Solomon Islands on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said, the third strong tremor off the Pacific nation in less than two weeks.

The quake hit at 4.46pm (0546 GMT) at a depth of 39 kilometres (24 miles) about 83 kilometres west-northwest of Kirakira, the USGS added.

On December 10 a 6.9-magnitude quake struck off Kirakira. The previous day a 7.7-magnitude tremor triggered severe shaking and a tsunami warning, although there were no reports of serious damage.

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