Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre

The Pacific tsunami warning centre said a widespread tsunami was possible for a number of Pacific nations, although not as far as New Zealand or Australia.

It said hazardous tsunami waves from the quake were possible within the next three hours along some coasts of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Vanuatu, and Indonesia as well as Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae in the Federated States of Micronesia.

The centre say any waves would be between 0.3m and 1m above tide level for the Solomons and Papua New Guinea, and less than 0.3m above normal tide levels elsewhere.

The quake's epicentre was located 214 kilometres west of Honiara at an estimated depth of 10 kilometres.

Residents in the capital who felt the quake say it was strong enough to shake larger buildings and was followed by mild aftershocks.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre says there was no threat of a tsunami from the off shore quake.