Landslides and collapsed buildings in Solomon Islands

RNZ reports that news are coming in of collapsed buildings and landslides in the quake affected Makira & Ulawa province of the Solomon Islands.

A 7-point-8 magnitude earthquake stuck at about 4.30am local time today 70 kilometres off Kirakira, the capital of the province in the country's south.

 Deputy Principal John Gordon Hoto of Marou Bay Primary School in West Makira said the earthquake destroyed the school's office building and a classroom and severely damaged staff housing.

He said there had also been several landslides in the area and there were reports of more destruction in other villages in the Marou Bay area.

"I think we need assistance from the national government to come down here and just witness what is happening," he said.

"The office block was [has] fallen down and our classroom was [is] about to fall and our staff houses were moved sideways and are just about to fall. So I think we need some assistance from the national government to help us."

Meanwhile on the east coast building and water tanks at Pawa Secondary School on Ugi Island have been damaged.

A teacher at the school, Zinnia Tai said one girls' dormitory, a staff house and the student’s sanitation block have been flattened by the quake.

She said luckily all students have left for the holidays or many would have died when their dormitory collapsed.

Mrs Tai said all the water tanks have been damaged which will affect drinking water supplies.
Source: Radio New Zealand