Solomons, Indonesia assess earthquake losses

There have been no deaths reported from the quake. Photo / Earthquake Track

Hundreds of people in remote parts of the Solomon Islands have had their homes damaged or destroyed by Friday's powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake, an aid organisation said.

There have been no deaths reported from the quake, which also caused some small tsunami waves in the Solomon Islands and other Pacific islands.

Speaking from the capital Honiara, Suzy Sainovski, World Vision's Pacific Timor-Leste spokeswoman, said it has been hard to get a full assessment from some more remote communities, some of which don't have cellphone coverage.

"There are some initial reports that 3000 people have been affected," Sainovski said. "Some of these are traditional houses that are on stilts, and made with vegetation."

The quake struck near the island of Makira. Sainovski said in the town of Kirakira on the island, the quake damaged a hospital, a church and other buildings including the World Vision office. She said 20 people were evacuated from a hospital.

She said the quake had caused some power failures throughout the country.

Micha Maghe, World Vision's water sanitation and health project co-ordinator in Kirakira, said the quake had been terrifying.

"When I got outside I could hear children crying, people shouting," she said, as " people just panicked.". Sainovski said there continued to be a number of aftershocks and power cuts.

The region was hit by a 6.9 aftershock yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Australian Government has committed A$1 million ($1.045m) to aid Indonesia's response to the Aceh earthquake that claimed 100 lives, inured 750 and the estimated 43,000 displaced people.

The 6.5 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra also destroyed schools and a major public hospital.

The full impact of the earthquake is still being assessed.

- AP, AAP