Volcano Live

The Reef Islands are a group of 16 small coral islands located 80 km from Santa Cruz island in the eastern Solomons.

The islands are densely populated. Traditionally daring ocean voyages were undertaken from the Reef Islands to locations such as Rennell Islands 775 km away.

Pigeon Island, Reef Islands - John Seach

Ngatendo Island, Reef Islands

Ngatendo Island, Reef Islands

Pileni Island

Scuba diving Reef Islands, John Seach instructor

Reef Islands children 1995

Paddling from Ndatendo to Pigeon Island 1995

Ndatendo Island, Reef Islands, Solomon Islands

Fishing in the Reef Islands

John Seach in the Reef Islands, Solomon Islands

Reef Islands

Government ship, Reef Islands 1989

Sunset Reef Islands 1989

The islands subject to tidal surges caused by cyclones and volcanic activity from nearby Tinakula volcano. There is evidence of uplift in the east with Fenualoa and lomlom showing elevations of 20 m above sea level. The soils are shallow but fertile. Concave sea cliffs are caused by the weathering active of waves. Forest Passage is narrow and deep bounded by 15 m high cliffs.

Reef Islands - Lomlom, Nifiloli, Fenualoa, Matema, Pigeon, Gnimbanga Temoa, and Gnimbanga Nende. The large islands are raised coral limestone with sand cays on the lee side. There is no evidence of volcanic rocks in the islands.

Outer Reef Islands - Nupani, Nukapu, Pileni and Makalom.

Fringing reefs - Great Reef, Forest Reef, Malani Reef, Malim Reef, Manuwa Reef, Matumbi Reef and Patteson Shoal

Great 2013 Earthquake
A shallow magnitude 8.0 earthquake hit 100 km SW of Tinakula volcano, Solomon Islands on 6th February 2013. The Great Earthquake was preceded cluster of earthquakes in the same area over the past week. A tsunami warning was issued for countries in the Pacific including the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Fiji. A tsunami watch was issued for Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia. Earthquakes of this magnitude can disrupt nearby volcanoes. Tinakula is the nearest active volcano.