布樂司Boolus

Two major earthquakes struck 15 minutes apart Thursday morning near the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The first quake, with a magnitude of 7.8, struck at 9:03 a.m. (6:03 p.m. ET) at a depth of 35 km (22 miles) and an epicenter 295 km (180 miles) north-northwest of Luganville, Espiritue Santo, Vanuatu.

The second quake, with a magnitude of 7.3, struck at 9:15 a.m. (6:18 p.m. ET) at the same depth and an epicenter of 590 km (365 miles) northwest of Port-Vilia, Efate, Vanuatu.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an expanding regional tsunami warning and watch for parts of the Pacific near the first earthquake's epicenter.

The center also issued a tsunami advisory, meaning the possibility of a tsunami exists, for Hawaii and said further evaluation of the event could see the threat alert elevated