Tsunami Hits Solomon Islands. at Least 13 Dead.

A devastating tsunami, killed 13 people and wiped out at least one village in the Solomon islands. Huge waves struck the town of the Gizo within five minutes of the quake. According to officials the only warning the island had virtually no warning before 10 foot waves hit.

The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting that a large quake shook the sea floor immediately before the tsunami . Gizo, a regional center, is the closet town to the quakes epicenters. The earthquake measured around 8.0 at struck at Monday at 7:40 a.m local time(Sunday, 66:40 p.m EST).

According to the Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's office an untold number number of residents are still missing.

Spokesperson Alfred Maesulia said, "Some people were seen floating on the sea during the big waves but it was very difficult to go near them. The number at the moment is 13. It's possible that number will increase, maybe double up or even more."

There were also reports that villages in the far west had suffered severe damage. Julian McCleod of Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio, "Two villages were reported to have been completely inundated."

In a phone interview with the Associated Press resident Judith Kennedy gave an eyewitness report of the devastation. "All the houses near the sea were flattened The downtown area is a very big mess from the tsunami and the earthquake. A lot of houses have collapsed. The whole town is still shaking from aftershocks.

Tsunami alerts were issued in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Hawaii. Australian beaches and ferries were shut down until the danger had passed.

According to National police spokesman Mick Spinks sad, "our biggest problem is communication because mot of the high frequency radio systems are submerged." Radio is the primary form of media in the islands.

Danny Kennedy, Judith's father added, "I'm driving down the street- there are boats in the middle of the road, buildings have completely collapsed and fallen down. We're just trying to mobilize water and food, and shelter for people at the moment because ... in the town alone there's going to be between 2,000-3,000 homeless. It's not a very good scene at the moment.''

The Solomon Islands is located off the east of Pupua New Guinea and is composed of one thousand islands. The population is over a half million and is composed primarily of Melanesian, Polynesian and Micronesian peoples.

Sources.

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