A magnitude 6.6 earthquake was recorded Monday off the Santa Cruz Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
The quake’s epicenter was recorded by the US Geological Survey at a depth of 24 miles (38km) about 46 miles (74km) west-northwest of Lata, the main town on the chain’s largest island, at 3:07pm local time.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was “no destructive widespread tsunami threat” based on historical data, AFP reported.
“However, earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts located within a hundred kilometers [miles] of the earthquake epicenter,” it added.
“Authorities in the region of the epicenter should be aware of this possibility and take appropriate action.”
The Santa Cruz Islands form part of the Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands and lie approximately 250 miles (400km) to the southeast of the Solomons.
Lata, on the chain’s largest island, Nendo, is home to about 5,000 people.
The Solomon Islands sit on top of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where the movement of tectonic plates causes frequent seismic activity, resulting in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
