A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the main island of Vanuatu at 12:47 a.m. on December 17, causing several large buildings to collapse, cracking walls and breaking windows, and causing landslides in the island nation. There are about 320,000 people living here, according to AFP.
Many people are checking a car trapped under a collapsed building in Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila after a strong earthquake on December 17.
The above earthquake claimed the lives of at least 14 people, injured more than 200 people and destroyed several commercial buildings, embassies and a hospital, according to Reuters.
Rescue workers at the scene of a collapsed building in Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila after a strong earthquake on December 17
People called for help from beneath the rubble of a flattened three-storey store in Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila, where dozens of rescue workers worked overnight to find survivors, according to AFP. said resident Michael Thompson.
“We were able to get three trapped people out. Unfortunately, one of them did not survive,” Mr. Thompson said.
About 80 people including police, paramedics, trained rescue workers and volunteers used excavators, drills, grinders and concrete saws to search for survivors.
When rescuers at the scene were silent, they could hear three people inside signaling that they were still alive on the morning of December 18, according to Mr. Thompson.
Government and energy officials said electricity, water and communications remained disrupted, according to Reuters.
Vanuatu’s National Disaster Management Office said 10 buildings in Port Vila had suffered serious structural damage.
Concrete pillars at a building housing foreign missions in the capital Port Vila, including the US, British, French and New Zealand embassies, collapsed in the strong earthquake. American, French and Australian employees inside that building are safe, according to representatives of these three countries.
Australia and New Zealand announced they plan to send medical and search and rescue teams to Vanuatu today, December 18, to provide emergency assistance.
