CANBERRA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Four people were reportedly missing after a tsunami sparked by a strong earthquake hit the Pacific nation of the Solomon Islands.

    The quake with a magnitude of at least 7.8 took place at 20:40 GMT Sunday with the epicenter located 45 km south of the New Georgia Islands, and around 350 km west-northwest of the capital of Honiara, at a depth of 10 km.

    There have been reports that a wave several meters high crashing into the country's west coast.

    A Solomon Islands national disaster management office program officer said the wave had hit parts of the far west of the Solomon Islands

    "Two villages were reported to have been completely inundated, also on the nearby island called Molo we received reports of four people missing following the tsunami," Julian Mekai told Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio.

    "We also received confirmed reports of a tsunami hitting Gizo, the capital of the western province," he said.

    The four people unaccounted for were missing after a mudslide, he said, adding that the time given for the wave to hit Honiara had passed, but the situation was still tenuous.

    "A good number of the buildings in the capital (Gizo) have been reported to have been damaged," he said, adding "we are told the waves are continually hitting Gizo."

    4 people missing in Solomon Islands in tsunami after quake

    CANBERRA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Four people were reportedly missing after a tsunami sparked by a strong earthquake hit the Pacific nation of the Solomon Islands.

    The quake with a magnitude of at least 7.8 took place at 20:40 GMT Sunday with the epicenter located 45 km south of the New Georgia Islands, and around 350 km west-northwest of the capital of Honiara, at a depth of 10 km.

    There have been reports that a wave several meters high crashing into the country's west coast.

    A Solomon Islands national disaster management office program officer said the wave had hit parts of the far west of the Solomon Islands

    "Two villages were reported to have been completely inundated, also on the nearby island called Molo we received reports of four people missing following the tsunami," Julian Mekai told Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio.

    "We also received confirmed reports of a tsunami hitting Gizo, the capital of the western province," he said.

    The four people unaccounted for were missing after a mudslide, he said, adding that the time given for the wave to hit Honiara had passed, but the situation was still tenuous.

    "A good number of the buildings in the capital (Gizo) have been reported to have been damaged," he said, adding "we are told the waves are continually hitting Gizo."