Magnitude 7 quake shocks Solomon Islands but no major damage

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake has struck near the Solomon Islands but there are no immediate reports of widespread damage or injuries. The quake’s epicenter was in the Pacific Ocean southwest of the capital, Honiara. An initial tsunami warning was withdrawn after the threat passed. Government spokesperson George Herming said he was in his office on the second floor of a building when the quake rocked the city on Tuesday. He said he crawled underneath his table. The Solomon Islands, which is home to about 700,000 people, doesn’t have any big high-rises that might be vulnerable to a quake. The spokesman said there was some panic around the town and traffic jams as everybody tried to drive to higher ground.