Magnitude 6.6 quake hits Solomon Islands in the Pacific - USGS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.6 struck the Solomon Islands archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Wednesday. The quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.8, struck at 5:49 a.m. on Thursday (1849 GMT on Wednesday). Its epicentre was 109 miles (175 km) southeast of Gizo. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said the quake, which was shallow at a depth of only 24.3 miles (39 km), had not triggered a tsunami. (Reporting by Sandra Maler; Editing by Peter Cooney)