A 7.3 magnitude earthquake strikes the Pacific country of Vanuatu

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Injured people arrived at a hospital in Vanuatu as unconfirmed reports of casualties emerged after the South Pacific island nation was struck by a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake off the coast on Tuesday.

The tsunami warning was canceled less than two hours after the quake. As communications continued to be cut off hours after the quake and official information was scarce, witness accounts of the victims began to appear on social media and through irregular phone calls.

The quake occurred at a depth of 57 kilometers (35 miles) and was centered 30 kilometers (18 miles) west of Port Vila, the largest city in Vanuatu, a group of 80 islands inhabited by about 330,000 people. The tremor was followed by a 5.5 magnitude aftershock near the same location.

The extent of the damage was not immediately clear as phone lines and government websites remained down and official channels were not updated, but reports of widespread destruction leaked on social media and in interviews.

Dan McGarry, a journalist based in Port Vila, told The Associated Press that he heard about one person dying in the quake from a police officer outside Vila Central Hospital. McGarry said he saw three people on stretchers “in apparent distress.”

He added that doctors were working “as quickly as possible” at the triage center outside the emergency ward. McGarry said the nation was not prepared for an event that would result in large numbers of casualties.

A video posted by the Vanuatu Broadcasting Corporation showed crowds outside the hospital. The phone numbers of the police, hospital and other public bodies were not reached. There were no official reports of casualties.

It was not immediately possible to confirm reports of people trapped inside the buildings. A video posted on social media showed collapsed buildings in Port Vila, including one that collapsed onto cars. A Fiji Red Cross spokesman said the head of the relief agency's office in Vanuatu reported widespread damage before communications were cut off.

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs said a building housing a number of diplomatic missions in Port Vila, including those of the United States, Britain, France and New Zealand, suffered significant damage. A spokesman said officials were in the process of inventorying New Zealand High Commission staff.

A video posted on social media showed the building sustaining some damage, including broken windows and debris falling from the walls to the ground. Other photos and videos showed items and shelves falling onto store floors and landslides that appeared to be blocking some roads.

Katie Greenwood, head of the Fiji-based Red Cross regional office for Asia and the Pacific, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that Port Vila's downtown area was full of large buildings and hotels.

“We haven't heard of any casualties yet, but I would be shocked if we don't hear that bad news coming out of Port Vila at some point,” she said.

McGarry said a “massive landslide” at the international shipping terminal would likely hamper the country's recovery. He added that the airport runway was also damaged.

Vanuatu's location in a subduction zone – where the Indo-Australian tectonic plate moves beneath the Pacific plate – means that earthquakes of magnitude greater than 6 are not uncommon and the country's buildings are designed to withstand earthquake damage.

“I think it could have been worse,” McGarry said. But he said it was “by far” the most dangerous thing he had seen in his 21 years in Vanuatu.

In the hours after the tremor, the US Geological Survey said the tsunami threat had passed. The agency had previously warned of waves reaching 1 meter (3 feet) above tide level.

Authorities in Australia and New Zealand, located in the Pacific Ocean, said there was no threat of a tsunami occurring in their countries.

The New Zealand Foreign Ministry said 45 New Zealanders were registered as being in Vanuatu. The ministry did not provide details about the status of their nationals.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs said it was able to provide a wide range of support, as needed, through emergency and development programmes.

—-

Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk in Melbourne, Australia contributed reporting.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos