Solomon Islands earthquake: Second quake strikes Pacific islands at magnitude 6.9 a day after huge tremor

Quake comes almost exactly 24 hours after 7.8 magnitude earthquake

The Solomon Islands were still recovering from an earthquake that caused damage the previous day (Reuters)

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of the Solomon Islands almost exactly 24 hours after an even larger quake struck the same area of the Pacific.

The US Geological Society recorded its epicentre at a depth of 6 miles (10km) off the coast of Makira island at 6.10am local time on Saturday (19.10pm GMT on Friday).

No casualties or severe damage was immediately reported and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had detected no risk.

The location of an earthquake off the coast of the Solomon Islands on 9 December, as recorded by the US Geological Society (USGS)

"Based on all available data a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected," a statement said.

The epicentre was in almost exactly the same location as an earthquake that hit the previous day, along an active fault line.

The first quake hit shortly after 4.38am local time on Friday (5.30pm GMT on Thursday) and was followed by four aftershocks, with the epicentre recorded off the coast of Makira island at a depth of 30 miles (48.7km).

Phone lines were down and electricity cuts reported in some areas, while pictures showed some buildings partly destroyed and cracks in the ground.

The Solomon Islands are located in the Pacific's geologically active “Ring of Fire”, which contains more than 400 volcanoes and fault lines generating frequent quakes.