Tsumani in Solomon Islands following

[malaise]

earthquake.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6518945.stm

<snip>
A state of emergency has been declared in the Solomon Islands after a tsunami struck, killing at least 12 people.

Whole villages are said to have been wiped out around the main town of Gizo in the western Solomons.

The scale of devastation should become clearer once results of an assessment are known, but officials warn the number of dead could rise further.

They have called for emergency supplies to help hundreds of people who are spending the night in the open.

Huge waves several metres high followed the 8-magnitude undersea earthquake which hit at 0740 local time on Monday (2040 GMT Sunday).

Add.

[malaise]

1. More from Down under

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/villages-washed-into-sea/2007/04/03/1175366195089.html
<snip>
Witnessed have told how the sea bed was sucked dry before a tsunami up to five metres high washed villages away after a massive underwater earthquake in the Solomon Islands.

At least 15 people are reported dead and hundreds are missing in the Solomons' remote Western Province, much of which was cut off from the rest of the country.

Four New Zealanders are among those missing.

The quake sparked panic and confusion along Australia's east coast after authorities issued a tsunami warning.

The tsunami was caused by a powerful, shallow earthquake with a magnitude of at least 8.0, which rocked the region at 6.40am (AEST) yesterday, levelling buildings and damaging a hospital at Gizo, a popular dive centre and provincial capital northwest of Honiara, and just 40km from the quake's epicentre.

[rainbow4321]

2. Looks like one hit Afghanistan in the last few hours, too (6.2)

And Solomon Islands are having what looks like pretty big aftershocks (assuming I am reading this website the correct way)

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_big.php

MAP 5.5 2007/04/03 05:21:19 -8.501 157.425 10.0 SOLOMON ISLANDS
MAP 5.2 2007/04/03 05:07:43 -8.622 157.558 10.0 SOLOMON ISLANDS
MAP 6.2 2007/04/03 03:35:07 36.528 70.668 210.5 HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN
MAP 5.3 2007/04/03 02:46:38 -7.768 155.720 10.0 SOLOMON ISLANDS


http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2007asas.php