A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit off theSolomon Islands early on Friday, triggering a tsunami warning ina wide area of the South Pacific.The quake struck at 4:38 a.m.(1738 GMT Thursday) at a depthof 49 km (30 miles), the U.S.Geological Survey said.
It wasinitially reported to be of magnitude 8.0."Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possiblewithin the next three hours along some coasts of SolomonIslands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tuvaluand Kosrae," the U.S.-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center(PTWC) said.
Authorities are looking to see if there is a tsunami threatto Hawaii, the PTWC said, adding that the estimated earliestarrival of any tsunami wave there would be 2:56 p.m.Hawaii
Standard Time (0056 GMT Friday).
The PTWC will issue messages hourly until the threat haspassed, it said.