HONIARA  : A strong 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands in the western Pacific Saturday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, updating its previous estimate of a 7.1-magnitude quake.

No immediate threat of a tsunami was reported.                                                                              

The quake struck at a depth of about 30 kilometres (19 miles) with an epicentre 40 kilometres southwest of Kira Kira and 224 kilometres southeast of the capital, Honiara, at 4.30 pm (0530 GMT), the USGS said.

 BDST :1207 HRS ,June 26, 2010

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