Hawaii under tsunami watch because of Solomon Islands quake

HONOLULU, HI -- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says Hawaii is under a tsunami watch because of an earthquake in the Solomon Islands.

The warning center says a tsunami is possible but not verified. If tsunami waves impact Hawaii, the estimated arrival of the first tsunami wave would be 2:56 p.m. Thursday, Hawaii time.

A watch is the lowest level of alert.

The U.S. Geological Survey says Thursday's 7.7 magnitude earthquake occurred about 42 miles southwest of Kirakira, Solomon Islands. It had a depth of about 30 miles.

Keep checking back on this page to get real-time updates as this story unfolds. To get alerts for breaking news, download the ABC13 news app for iPhone or Android. You can also get breaking news alerts sent to you by email.