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A strong, 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands in the western Pacific at 8:48 am Monday (2148 GMT Sunday), the US Geological Survey said.
There was no immediate tsunami warning.
The preliminary USGS report placed the epicentre of the quake 143 kilometres (89 miles) south-southeast of Gizo, in the Solomon Islands, and 309 kilometres (192 miles west-northwest of Honiara, at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said no tsunami was expected.
