The chances of a major earthquake and tsunami in Western and Choiseul Province are slimmer than before and the area now safer.

This is according to an American Tsunami Scientist, Professor Hermann Fritz who was assigned by the United Nations to carry out a research and survey of the events of last Monday.

Professor Fritz says the stress on the plate which caused the 8-point-one earthquake has been released resulting in the area being stabilised.

He says if there's going to be an earthquake it will be a smaller and a fair distance away from Western and Choiseul.

Professor Fritz says people who stayed up on the hills should now return to their origin villages to start normal lives as another earthquake to the tune of last Monday's earthquake may not occur within the next decade or even century.

Professor Fritz confirms that Ranongga Island was raised about two meters while Simbo went down by a metre under sea.