A tsunami of .9 meters (3 feet) has been measured in the Solomon Islands after a strong earthquake in the South Pacific.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the tsunami was measured in Lata in the easternmost Solomon Islands. The region hasn't reported any immediate damage.

The tsunami warning after the 8.0 earthquake was issued for the Solomons, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, Wallis and Futuna. A tsunami watch is in effect for American Samoa, Australia, New Zealand and eastern Indonesia.

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A powerful earthquake in the South Pacific generated a tsunami Wednesday that prompting warnings to several island nations.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said sea level readings indicated a tsunami formed after the 8.0-magnitude earthquake near the Solomon Islands, and that it may be destructive near the epicenter. More distant coasts may be threatened.

The quake occurred near Lata in Temotu province, the easternmost province of the Solomons, about a 3-hour flight from the capital, Honiara. The region has a population of around 30,000 people.

"There was no immediate report of damages or any accidents," said George Herming, a spokesman for the prime minister. "We've been hoping that reports will come in from the responsible authorities ... very soon."

The tsunami warning is in effect for the Solomons, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Fiji, Kiribati, Wallis and Futuna. A tsunami watch is in effect for American Samoa, Australia, New Zealand and eastern Indonesia.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck 81 kilometers (50 miles) west of Lata, at a depth of 5.8 kilometers (3.6 miles).

An official at the disaster management office in neighboring Vanuatu said there were no reports of damage or injuries there.

More than 50 people were killed and thousands lost their homes in April 2007 when a magnitude 8.1 quake hit the western Solomon Islands, sending waves crashing into coastal villages.

The Solomons comprise more than 200 islands with a population of about 552,000 people. They lie on the "Ring of Fire" _ an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones that stretches around the Pacific Rim and where about 90 percent of the world's quakes occur.