A tsunami has hit the Solomon Islands after a strong earthquake struck the south Pacific region.

Warnings were briefly in place for several Pacific nations following the 8.0 magnitude earthquake.

The US Geological Survey reported the quake struck near the Santa Cruz islands, part of the Solomon Islands.
A tsunami measuring 0.9 metres subsequently hit Lata in the far eastern Solomons.

Reports suggested that a number of homes had been damaged in the area, but there are no reported of any injuries.

Houses were brought down after the wave went 500 metres inland.

Reports from the United States said the quake had a depth of 28.7 kilometres.

Tsunami warnings were issued for the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, and Wallis and Futuna islands, but later cancelled.