Solomon Islands rattled by 6.5 magnitude earthquake

The capital city shook for about ten seconds this morning, according to reports

The Solomon Islands were hit by an earthquake earlier today (Getty)

A powerful earthquake has rattled the Solomon Islands this morning, it has been reported.

According to The US Geological Study, a quake of 6.5-magnitude struck about 165 kilometers (100 miles) west of the capital Honiara.

There have been no reports of damage or injuries and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no threat of a tsunami.

Steve Nasiu, an official with the Solomon’s National Disaster Management Office, said that the quake caused the ground to shake in Honiara for about 10 seconds.

In 2007, a major earthquake in the Solomon Islands caused a large tsunami. A thousand homes were destroyed and at least 52 people were killed.

Solomon Islands is a small island nation which lies to the east of Papua New Guinea. It consists of a number of large volcanic islands, which have been dubbed ‘the Ring of Fire’.

The nation has a population of around 600,000 people. The World Bank lists it as one of the Pacific’s poorest countries.

With additional reporting by AP