Among the people who died during the tsunami are a child and elderly people. The Prime minister, George Herming, explained that the victims were sucked under water rushing through the area. The remote villages were attacked by several aftershocks and the frightened residents feared returning back to the coast.
The tsunami is said to have been generated by an 8.0-magnitude earthquake which struck the Solomon Islands close to the Santa Cruz town Lata. Smaller waves were also recorded in New Caledonia and Vanuatu. The damage caused, however, was most concentrated to Santa Cruz’s western side.The region was previously hit by an earthquake of a similar magnitude in 2007, claiming 50 lives and thousands losing their homes.
Residents are said to be residing in temporary shelters set up in higher grounds, because they are still scared of returning back to their homes.
