Tsunami leaves more than 1,000 homeless

An earthquake triggered landslides and a tsunami and destroyed around 200 houses on the island of Rendova.The disaster has left about one-third of the population on the remote Solomon island homeless.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Jan 2010, 20:41 BST

Updated 5th Jan 2010, 20:45 BST

The view from the air showed extensive damage caused by a 7.2-magnitude tremor near the Pacific Solomon Islands on Monday, said disaster management office director Loti Yates.

No injuries have been reported some 30 hours after the biggest in a series of quakes triggered a tsunami wave up to 10ft (3m) high. But more than 1,000 people have been affected by the destruction in Rendova, an island some 190 miles (300km) from the capital, Honiara. The island has a population of just 3,600.

Photographs taken from police helicopters show debris lining the shore and damaged houses on the coasts of Rendova and Tetepare, as well as deep scars on hills and cliffs caused by landslides.

Emergency food, water and tarpaulins are being shipped in.