Magnitude 8 earthquake off Santa Cruz Islands

A magnitude 8 earthquake struck Wednesday off Santa Cruz Islands, shortly after a magnitude 6.3 quake struck in the same area, triggering a tsunami warning for islands in the Pacific, U.S. watch centers said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says a South Pacific earthquake generated a tsunami that may be destructive near the epicenter, according to the Associated Press.

The center says sea level readings indicate a tsunami formed after the 8.0 earthquake Wednesday near the Solomon Islands. More distant coasts may be threatened.

The tsunami warning is in effect for the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, Wallis and Futuna. A tsunami watch is in effect for American Samoa, Australia, New Zealand and eastern Indonesia.

The magnitude 8 quake occurred at 12:12 p.m. local time at a depth of 5 kilometers off Santa Cruz Islands, which are part of the Solomon Islands nation, about 347 kilometers east of Kira Kira, Solomon Islands, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

A tsunami warning was issued for areas in the Pacific including Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, while a tsunami watch was in effect for other areas including Marshall Islands and Samoa, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

It added the earthquake has the potential to generate a "destructive tsunami."

A hospital director reported that villages have been destroyed by the quake.
*Wall Street Journal*