By LAWRENCE HAKIWAI
The Government is keeping a watching brief on a Pacific Ocean tsunami threat after a quake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck the New Georgia Islands region.
The resulting tidal wave swept ashore hitting towns and villages in the Solomon Island. There are no early reports of casualties but that could be due to communication difficulties. There are reports of damage to buildings.
In Australia, the Bureau of Meterology reports there is a possible tsunami threat to Willis and Great Barrier Reef islands. Buildings in Tokyo shook from the quake. Tsunami warnings have been issued for Pacific Island areas including; the Solomons, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Vanuatu.
A spokesman for Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters says developments are being monitored and at this stage, a tsunami is not likely to reach New Zealand. However, if it did it would take around six hours to get here, which would make its arrival time around 2.40 this afternoon.
GNS Seismologist Bryan Field believes there may be a small increase in water levels around the country, but that should not cause any problems.