Baku, December 17, AZERTAC

Search and rescue operations continued after a strong earthquake of 7.3 magnitude in the southern Pacific nation of Vanuatu killed at least one person and damaged buildings and other infrastructure, Anadolu Agency reported.

Four earthquakes were reported in the island nation within a span of three hours, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (Geofon).

The powerful earthquake measuring 7.3 in magnitude struck 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) west of Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila. Three other earthquakes of magnitude 5.4, 5 and 5.5 followed.

The biggest tremor in the South Pacific island nation occurred at a depth of 43 kilometers (26.7 miles) at around 0147GMT, the USGS said.

A tsunami warning was issued for Vanuatu but it was lifted later.

“This is the worst earthquake I or my family have experienced… it is quite a violent one,” Dan McGarry, a journalist based in Port Vila, told Anadolu over the phone.

There is evidence of landslides near our 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," the journalist said on X.

Some old buildings have “pancaked," said McGarry.

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

Rescue workers are on the scene of the collapsed building in downtown Port Vila, Vanuatu. I spoke with (the) police on the scene, and while they would not confirm a casualty figure, they said that the number was definitely greater than the one death already confirmed," the journalist said in a separate post on X.

The journalist said the earthquake has damaged communications infrastructure and disrupted the supply of power, while some areas have also reported disruption to the water supply.

He added the communications were "slowly coming back," and power was "being restored bit by bit."

He was himself using an electricity generator and connected to the outer world through Starlink.

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

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

Air services in the country have also been affected due to the earthquake.

Penny Wong, the foreign minister of neighboring Australia, said Canberra was "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," said Wong.

Max Willis, the Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu, said his diplomatic mission was working "on an assistance operation."

Willis said the earthquake had impacted the high commission’s communication systems as well.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Wellington was "deeply concerned about the significant earthquake in Vanuatu, and the damage it has caused."

Peters said the building housing the diplomatic mission of New Zealand, also "sustained significant damage."

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



According to a notification on X from the US Embassy in Papua New Guinea, the people who were in the diplomatic missions' building in Vanuatu were "safe and accounted for."

French ambassador Jean-Baptiste Jeangene Vilmer said his staff was safe but the building was damaged, adding that the mission was organizing relief operations.