Vanuatu Faces Aftermath of Devastating Earthquake as Casualties Rise

A state of emergency has been declared in Vanuatu after a powerful earthquake resulted in considerable casualties and infrastructure damage. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with assistance pledged from Australia, the US, and France.

The death toll from a devastating earthquake that struck Vanuatu on Tuesday has now reached 14 as search teams dig through debris to find survivors. The 7.3-magnitude tremor left at least 200 people injured, with powerful aftershocks impacting rescue efforts overnight. Significant damage has been recorded, including to the embassies of several nations, such as the US, France, the UK, and New Zealand, along with a disruption of power and mobile services across affected areas.

According to Vanuatu police, a seven-day state of emergency is now in effect, restricting public movement to facilitate ongoing search and rescue missions. The fatalities include four individuals who succumbed to injuries in a hospital in the capital, Port Vila, while six were victims of a landslide and four died when a building collapsed. Among the deceased are two Chinese nationals, as confirmed by Chinese Ambassador Li Minggang during a statement to the press.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has reported that approximately 116,000 people may be impacted by the extremes of this disaster. Responding to the crisis, neighboring Australia has announced it will dispatch rescue teams, a move echoed by commitments of aid from the US and France.

Photos circulated by Vanuatu Police show rescuers working diligently to sift through rubble and debris by hand, while efforts were also made to crawl beneath the remains of collapsed structures. Reports state that at least ten buildings in Port Vila have suffered major structural damage, highlighting the extensive impact of the earthquake.

Rescuers managed to detect voices from within one of the destroyed three-storey buildings, prompting the use of heavy machinery such as jackhammers and concrete saws to reach trapped individuals. Meanwhile, images from state broadcaster VBTC reveal a quiet Port Vila, where many businesses have closed and essential supplies are in high demand.

The earthquake struck at 12:47 local time (01:47 GMT) and instigated a brief tsunami warning. Vanuatu is an archipelago of about 80 islands situated in the South Pacific, recognized for its susceptibility to significant seismic activity and natural disasters due to its geographical positioning west of Fiji and east of northern Australia.