Rescuers race to find Vanuatu earthquake survivors

Rescue teams in Vanuatu are urgently searching for individuals who may be trapped under debris, following a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake that hit the capital, Port Vila. The disaster has resulted in 14 fatalities.

On Tuesday, more than 200 individuals suffered injuries in the earthquake, with a significant number of the affected located near several buildings in the downtown area.

A person who was inside the highest building in Vanuatu during the earthquake shared with the BBC that he and his wife rushed outside right away, saying, “If it had lasted another 10 seconds, I probably wouldn’t be here to tell you this.”

Authorities have announced a seven-day state of emergency to restrict public movement as rescue efforts are ongoing, according to police officials.

Glen Craig, the head of the Vanuatu Business Resilience Council, shared with the BBC that he was in a cheerful mood and celebrating the Christmas season with his wife on Tuesday when the earthquake hit them unexpectedly.

"We in Vanuatu are accustomed to facing disasters. Generally, you can sense earthquakes approaching; there's this rumbling or powerful roar. However, this time there was no warning—it was just an abrupt explosion. This event was on a whole new scale; it felt like something that happens only once in a lifetime."

According to the government's disaster management office, at least 10 buildings in Port Vila experienced significant structural damage. The earthquake's tremors also disrupted electricity and mobile phone services.

Mr. Craig mentioned that one building, which accommodated multiple embassies like the US Embassy and the British High Commission, suffered significant damage.

"That building just collapsed," he stated. "Around seven or eight structures in the vicinity experienced severe damage, and I anticipate that the casualty count will increase."

Numerous aftershocks were reported during the night.

"There were countless aftershocks all night long," Caroline Bird, an Australian who runs a resort in Port Vila, shared with ABC News. "It's likely impossible to even keep track of them all."

Six people lost their lives due to a landslide, and four more were trapped in a building that collapsed during the earthquake. The number of fatalities is likely to increase.

According to state media, Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu, Li Minggang, reported that among the 14 victims, two were citizens of China.

Images posted on Facebook by Vanuatu Police depicted rescuers digging through debris manually and working their way underneath the floors of fallen structures.

Michael Thompson was one of the people who spent the night searching for survivors.

In a Facebook update, he mentioned that three individuals were saved from a building during the night, but later informed news outlets that one of them had unfortunately passed away.

Mr. Thompson mentioned that rescue crews urgently require jackhammers, excavators, and cold drinking water, noting that many of the rescuers had been working all night long.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, around 116,000 individuals may suffer from the most severe consequences of the earthquake.

Mr. Craig pointed out that the majority of the destruction was concentrated in a specific region. He noted that the outskirts of Vanuatu remained mostly unaffected, as did many individuals residing outside the capital.

"We’re familiar with hurricanes that create problems such as a shortage of food and impact homes. However, this time it's different," he remarked.

"Typically, we don't experience this high a number of deaths from natural disasters, so seeing such a level of fatalities is unusual for us."

Australia will be sending teams to help with the search and rescue operations, and both the United States and France have also offered their support.

The earthquake hit at 12:47 PM local time (01:47 GMT) on Tuesday, prompting a short tsunami alert.

Vanuatu is a chain of about 80 islands in the South Pacific, situated to the west of Fiji and thousands of kilometers east of northern Australia. This archipelago is characterized by its low elevation.

Vanuatu is located in a region prone to seismic activity, making it vulnerable to regular significant earthquakes and various natural calamities.

"We went through Covid and dealt with three cyclones last year. This is truly the last thing we wanted," Mr. Craig remarked. "However, I believe that by Thursday, things will start to feel somewhat normal again."

"Tomorrow, the banks will resume operations. We’re waiting on some equipment from Australia to restore internet access, which should arrive shortly. As for the electricity, it should be back in a few days. Although we're facing challenges right now, we will overcome them."