南太平洋強烈地震數人死亡 Several Feared Dead Following Large Pacific Quake

A powerful earthquake shook islands in the South Pacific Wednesday, triggeringa regional tsunami that reports say destroyed dozens of homes and killedseveral people.

南太平洋海域星期三發生強烈地震後發生海嘯，有報道說，一些島嶼數十所房屋被毀壞，幾人死亡。

The magnitude-8 quake hit a sparsely populated region near the Solomon Islands. A one-meter tsunami later washed ashore on the island chain. A region-wide tsunami alert was lifted a short time later.

這次8級地震發生在所羅門羣島附近一個人煙稀少的地區。地震引起1米高的海嘯衝擊。該地區曾經發布海嘯警報，隨後警報被取消。

Seismologist Dale Grant with the U.S. Geological Survey tells VOA the initialquake was followed by at least 14 aftershocks of magnitude-5 or bigger.

美國地質調查局的地震專家格蘭特對美國之音說，至少發生了14次5級或5級以上的餘震。

The U.S. Geological Survey says the initial quake struck at 0112 UTC nearthe Santa Cruz Islands in the Solomons at a depth of about six kilometers.

美國地質調查局說，發生在國際標準時間1點12分的這次地震位於所羅門羣島的聖克魯斯羣島附近，震源深度大約爲六公里。

At least six people have been reported killed in the Santa Cruz orities also are investigating reports that several villages were damagedor destroyed in the hard-to-reach area. It was not clear whether the deathswere the result of the earthquake or the tsunami.

據報道，聖克魯斯羣島有至少六人死亡。當局正在調查有關偏僻地區幾個村莊受損或被毀的報道。目前還不清楚遇難者是死於地震還是死於海嘯。