Search, rescue underway after 7.3-magnitude earthquake in Vanuatu kills 6

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AS DEATH TOLL RISES, CHANGES HEADER, DECK

By Yasin Sungor and Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Search and rescue operations continued following a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake in the southern Pacific nation of Vanuatu, which killed at least six people and caused extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure.

Katie Greenwood, head of the International Federation of Red Cross in the Pacific region, said in a statement on X, "Buildings have collapsed, and there are 6 confirmed fatalities and many injured."

The US Geological Survey (USGS) and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (Geofon) reported five earthquakes in the island nation.

The strongest tremor, measuring 7.3 in magnitude, struck 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) west of Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila. Four additional quakes of magnitude 5.4, 5.0, 5.5, and 5.1 followed.

The largest tremor occurred at a depth of 43 kilometers (26.7 miles) around 0147 GMT, according to the USGS.

A tsunami warning was issued for Vanuatu, home to around 334,000 people, but it was later lifted.

- 'Widespread' damage

According to Greenwood, Vanuatu experienced "widespread damage," including destruction of hospital infrastructure and the local Red Cross building.

"The hospital infrastructure is damaged, and the building itself is compromised. Lots of damage to homes and infrastructure, including water reserves," she said.

"We had initial contact with our team on the ground before communications went down," the humanitarian official, based in Fiji, added.

- 'Worst, violent' earthquake

Dan McGarry, a journalist based in Port Vila, described the tremor as “the worst earthquake I or my family have experienced … it is quite a violent one.”

There is evidence of landslides near the international shipping terminal, and “our real concern is it may impact our response and recovery (efforts),” he added.

“Access to our international shipping terminal is going to be tenuous for a while due to landslides," McGarry said on X.

- Buildings 'pancaked'

Some older buildings have “pancaked,” McGarry reported.

“Police have confirmed to me one fatality, and there were numerous people being treated. A triage facility has been set up outside Central Hospital,” he said.

Rescue teams were on-site at the collapsed building in downtown Port Vila. McGarry noted, "While police wouldn't confirm the exact number of casualties, they did indicate it was definitely more than the one death already confirmed."

The journalist mentioned that the earthquake caused significant damage to communications infrastructure and disrupted power supplies, with some areas also reporting interruptions to the water supply.

He noted that communications were "slowly coming back," and power was "being restored bit by bit," with McGarry himself relying on a generator and Starlink to stay connected.

“It is very early stages,” McGarry said when asked about the extent of the damage.

Vanuatu, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, regularly experiences seismic activity due to its position along the boundary of several tectonic plates.

Air services have also been affected by the earthquake.

"We'll get through this. We always do," McGarry said.

- Diplomatic missions suffer 'significant damages'

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Canberra is "closely monitoring the situation in Vanuatu."

"We stand ready to support Vanuatu as the extent of the damage is assessed. Vanuatu is family, and we will always be there in times of need," Wong said.

Max Willis, the Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu, noted that his diplomatic mission is working "on an assistance operation."

Willis also confirmed that the earthquake had impacted the high commission’s communication systems.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters expressed concern about the "significant earthquake in Vanuatu" and the resulting damage.

Peters mentioned that New Zealand's diplomatic mission building also "sustained significant damage."

The same building houses diplomatic missions from the US, France, and the UK.

The US Embassy in Papua New Guinea reported that the people inside the diplomatic mission building in Vanuatu were "safe and accounted for."

French Ambassador Jean-Baptiste Jeangene Vilmer confirmed that his staff was safe, though the building was damaged, and added that the mission was organizing relief operations.

*Islamuddin Sajid in Pakistan contributed to this story