'Ten-metre-high' tsunami strikes Solomon Islands

At least 12 people died and many more are missing after a tsunami struck the tiny Solomon Islands following a powerful undersea earthquake in the South Pacific on Monday morning.

The quake measured 8.1 on the Richter scale and occurred in shallow waters 350 kilometres (220 miles) north-west of the Solomons' capital, Honiara. It struck at 0740 local time on Monday 2 April (2040 GMT on Sunday), levelling buildings in the south-western islands. The initial tremor was followed about 7 minutes later by a second one, centred further west, of magnitude 6.7.

The quakes created a tsunami several metres high that swamped buildings, swept away entire villages and dragged people out to sea. There are fears that the numbers of dead could rise with emerging news of more villages being destroyed.

from New Scientist