M6.1 earthquake hits Solomon Islands
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 hit the Solomon Islands at 22:19 UTC on March 27, 2021. The agency is reporting a depth of 86 km (53 miles).
The epicenter was located 73.7 km (45.8 miles) W of Buala (population 2 700) and 176.6 km (109.7 miles) NW of Honiara (population 56 298).
7 000 people are estimated to have felt moderate shaking and 392 000 light.
The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are mud wall and informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) construction.
Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.
Featured image credit: TW/SAM, Google
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