南太平洋强烈地震数人死亡 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发生强烈地震后发生海啸，有报道说，一些岛屿数十所房屋被毁坏，几人死亡。

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.

这次8级地震发生在所罗门群岛附近一个人烟稀少的地区。地震引起1米高的海啸冲击。该地区曾经发布海啸警报，随后警报被取消。

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.

美国地质调查局的地震专家格兰特对美国之音说，至少发生了14次5级或5级以上的余震。

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.

美国地质调查局说，发生在国际标准时间1点12分的这次地震位于所罗门群岛的圣克鲁斯群岛附近，震源深度大约为六公里。

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.

据报道，圣克鲁斯群岛有至少六人死亡。当局正在调查有关偏僻地区几个村庄受损或被毁的报道。目前还不清楚遇难者是死于地震还是死于海啸。