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Tsunami warnings for Pacific after quake

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(CNN) -- Two large back-to-back earthquakes centered in the region of the Solomon Islands triggered a tsunami warning Sunday for a huge part of the Pacific including Australia and Indonesia.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's Fixed Regional Tsunami Warning also included Papua New Guinea and several other islands in the region.

A watch was issued for some other parts of the Pacific, including New Zealand, the Philippines, American Samoa, Guam and Fiji.

Hawaii is under an advisory, but not a watch or waning.

The U.S. National Weather Service said its West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center also issued an advisory for residents along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska coast, but it said a damaging tsunami is not expected in that area. That advisory is sent out whenever the PTWC issues a tsunami warning for other regions in the Pacific Basin.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the first quake, with a magnitude of 8.0 on the Richter scale, took place at 8:40 Coordinated Universal Time (4:40 ET) and was centered 25 miles (45 km ) south-southeast of Gizo, New Georgia Islands, and 1330 miles (2145 km) north-northeast of Brisbane, Australia.

The second, nearby just minutes later, had a magnitude 6.7, according to the USGS. It was centered 75 miles (120 km ) west-southwest of Chirovanga, Choiseul, Solomon Islands, and 1410 miles (2265 km) north of Brisbane, Australia.

Officials in New Zealand and Australia said they had no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology issued warnings telling people in many coastal areas to stay inland.

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