A powerful earthquake off the Solomon Islands on Feb. 6 caused a tsunami of around five feet that damaged nearly a dozen homes and left several people dead and presumed missing in the South Pacific island according to the Associated Press.
All other warnings have been canceled including a tsunami warning on more distant coasts.
Solomon Island Police Commissioner John Lansley stated that local police patrols reported that several people were presumed dead, although the reports were still being verified at press time.
"Sadly, we believe some people have lost their lives," said Lansley. "At the moment we potentially know of four, but there may of course be more."
One of the people presumed dead was fishing in a dugout canoe when the first wave hit, taking him out to sea according to Lansley. Officials are still looking for his body.
Another woman is believed to have drowned when the water rushed inside her village according to the Associated Press.
Solomons officials claim two 1.5-meter waves hit the western side of Santa Cruz Island, causing damage to 70 or 80 homes according to George Herming, a spokesman for the prime minister. Many villagers wisely chose to head for higher ground as a precaution.
The tsunami formed reportedly after a magnitude-8.0 quake struck near the town of Lata, on Santa Cruz in Temotu. The location has approximately 30,000 people according to the Associated Press.
The tsunami of about three feet was measured in Lata according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
Disaster officials had a hard time reaching the remote area after the tsunami flooded the airstrip at the nearest airport and left it littered with debris.
"I try to tell the people living on the coastline, 'Move inland, find a higher place. Make sure to keep away from the sea. Watch out for waves,'" he said.
The U.S. Geological Survey stated that the quake struck 50 miles west of Lata at a depth of 17.8 miles according to the Associated Press.
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