A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hits Santa Cruz Islands in the Solomon Islands, with no immediate reports of damage or injury.

The undersea earthquake struck just after midday local time (0100 GMT) at a depth of 35 kilometers (22 miles), with an aftershock of 4.8 about 20 minutes later.

Solomon's officials said there were no immediate indications of injury or damage, but daytime communications with the remote, sparsely-populated area were fragile.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center measured the quake's magnitude at 7.3, and said that it may have been the type that ruptures the earth slowly and therefore was more likely to cause a dangerous wave than other types of quakes.

But the center said the available data suggested there was no danger of a tsunami.

Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office Director Loti Yates said initial radio reports from the remote islands group suggested there had been no casualties and minimal if any damage. There's the suggestion of some elevated waves, but details are still very sketchy.

An 8.0 magnitude earthquake in the western Solomon in April triggered a tsunami that killed more than 50 people and displaced thousands.

AB/BGH