Powerful earthquake measuring 7.7 hits Solomon Islands, Tsunami warning issued

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck close to the Solomon Islands in early hours of Friday.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued Tsunami warning to nearby islands, including Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and New Caledonia.

The epicentre of the earthquake was less than 30 kilometers off the island of Makira and at a depth of 48.7km, said reports.

A tsunami watch has been also issued for all Hawaiian Islands, the US National Weather Service reported.

(With inputs)