A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 8.0 struck near the Pacific's Solomon Islands, sparking a tsunami alert for much of the region.

A tsunami warning is in effect for the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati and Wallis and Futuna. A tsunami watch is in effect for numerous other areas.