7.8 earthquake near Solomon Islands, tsunami alert issued for South Pacific

A powerful earthquake hit about 30 kilometers off the island of Makira early Friday. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued for the South Pacific coasts

The earthquake hit less than 30 kilometers off the island of Makira — and 70 kilometers southwest of the island’s city of Kirakira — about 4:38 a.m. local time Friday (12:38 p.m. ET Thursday), according to the US Geological Survey, CNN reports.

“Based on all available data, hazardous tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

Waves measuring 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) above tidal levels are possible along some coasts of the Solomon Islands, and waves under 1 meter above tides are possible for the coasts of Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, the tsunami warning center said.

Earlier today an earthquake of 6.5 magnitude struck about 160 kilometers west of Ferndale off the shore of Northern California.