Buildings in Vanuatu damaged and casualties reported as magnitude 7.3 earthquake hits South Pacific island nation

Reports indicate that injured individuals have been coming into hospitals on the South Pacific island of Vanuatu following a strong earthquake that hit close to its shore. The quake has led to damage to structures and triggered landslides.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck near Port Vila, the largest city in the archipelago of 80 islands, on Tuesday. It occurred at a depth of 35 miles (56 kilometers) beneath the Earth's surface.

A magnitude 5.5 aftershock occurred in the same location shortly after, and tremors persisted throughout the afternoon and evening in the local area.

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Dan McGarry, a journalist situated in the city, informed The Associated Press that he learned about one fatality from a police officer near Vila Central Hospital. The officer mentioned observing three individuals on stretchers who were clearly in distress.

According to Mr. McGarry, doctors were doing their best to keep up with the situation at a triage center located outside the emergency department. However, he pointed out that the country is not prepared to handle a large-scale disaster. Additionally, he mentioned that the airport's runway has also been compromised.

Mr. McGarry also shared a video showing a significant landslide at the international shipping terminal.

A video shared on VBTC's Facebook page displayed a crowd of individuals gathered outside the hospital, with many of them resting on stretchers as they waited for medical attention.

There were unverified reports of individuals being stuck inside buildings.

Communication with the nation, where about 330,000 residents live on its islands, was disrupted by the earthquake, leading to a lack of official information.

After the earthquake, Vanuatu's government websites were inaccessible, and calls to the police and various public agencies were unable to go through.

Other videos shared online displayed significant destruction to structures, along with cars and roadways.

Troops were present at the location of a fallen building, where its canopy had collapsed onto vehicles, smashing them.

According to New Zealand's Foreign Ministry, a structure in Port Vila that accommodates various diplomatic missions, including those of the United States, Britain, France, and New Zealand, sustained considerable damage.

Video revealed that the windows had warped and pieces of the walls had fallen to the ground.

A spokesperson mentioned that authorities were working to account for the staff at the New Zealand High Commission.

Additional images and videos displayed products and shelves that had fallen to the ground in stores, as well as landslides that seemed to obstruct certain roadways.

Penny Wong, Australia’s foreign minister, informed reporters that the staff at the Australian High Commission were unharmed, while extending Australia’s assistance to Vanuatu.

New Zealand's foreign minister, Winston Peters, stated that 45 New Zealand citizens have been identified as currently in Vanuatu, expressing that his government is "greatly worried" about the situation unfolding in the country.

A representative from the Red Cross in Fiji mentioned that the leader of their Vanuatu office had noted extensive destruction before communication lines were severed.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that it is "keeping a close watch on the situation."

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The USGS released a tsunami alert predicting waves between 30 centimeters (11 inches) and 1 meter (39 inches) above the usual tide level for certain areas in Vanuatu. However, this warning was lifted in under two hours following the earthquake.

Advisories for reduced wave heights were released for several neighboring Pacific Island nations, such as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands.

Officials in Australia and New Zealand announced that there is no danger of a tsunami affecting their nations.