The U.S. Geological Survey says a 6.6 earthquake has hit the Santa Cruz islands, part of the Pacific's Solomon Islands group. The earthquake struck Monday afternoon 353 kilometers east of Kira Kira, at a depth of 39 kilometers.

The USGS said no destructive tsunami threat exists.

However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said “earthquakes of this size” can sometimes generate local tsunamis that “can be destructive” along coasts located within 100 kilometers of the earthquake epicenter.

The Warning Center said authorities in the region should be aware of this possibility and take appropriate action.