What to know about Vanuatu, the Pacific island nation struggling to recover from a massive earthquake

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The search expanded Thursday for those dead or trapped alive by an earthquake that struck the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, as rescue workers from abroad fanned out across the capital, Port Vila, encountering flattened buildings destroyed by floods. It has not been searched for yet.

Three days after a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the most populous island of Vanuatu, uncertainty continues over the number of dead and injured. The damage was concentrated in the downtown area of ​​Port Vila, where eight survivors were rescued from collapsed buildings, according to the United Nations.

The official number, which reached 12 deaths and more than 200 injured, is expected to rise.

Aid agencies said not all of the dead or injured had been taken to hospital and would not be included in the figures. Some residents were afraid to visit the badly damaged Vila Central Hospital, the main treatment facility.

More than 1,000 people have been displaced, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the humanitarian agency of the global organization. Aid workers estimate that about 20,000 people are likely to be without water.

Water shortage threatens a new crisis

Brecht Momin, a UNICEF water, sanitation and hygiene specialist based in Vanuatu, said the biggest threat was the spread of diseases from people drinking contaminated water.

He said: “Organizing water trucks to these areas is a rush against time so that we can prevent a second disaster, which is an outbreak of diarrhea.”

Moomin added that it is still unclear where the broken pipes are located in the massive network serving Port Vila, and it is not known how long it will take to find and repair them all.

Rain and landslides are slowing down relief efforts

Relief efforts have been hampered by closed roads, traffic jams and irregular communications.

Rainfall forecasts in the next few days threaten to exacerbate landslides caused by the earthquake. These included major slides that closed Vanuatu's seaport. Local media reported that the airport, currently open only for humanitarian flights, would resume commercial flight operations on Sunday.

This sparked a quiet hope for a return to normal life among residents accustomed to life in one of the world's countries most vulnerable to natural disasters. But analysts said problems plaguing Vanuatu before Tuesday's quake were likely to hamper recovery.

A perilous island paradise

Vanuatu is a sprawling, scenic archipelago covering a vast area of ​​the South Pacific Ocean and located between Australia and Fiji. More than 80 atoll and volcanic islands are home to 330,000 people.

Vanuatu lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire – a belt of tectonic plates and volcanoes – and is hit by earthquakes on a regular basis, although none in living memory like Tuesday's quake.

The country is also among the world's most vulnerable to climate change. Earlier this month, Vanuatu led a group of small island states in a landmark case on the subject at the UN Supreme Court.

The country's envoys said that while rising sea levels threaten the existence of Vanuatu and other countries, major polluting countries must be ordered to take more responsibility for reducing their emissions.

A struggle to attract tourists again

Dense tropical forests and azure seas make the country a popular holiday destination from Australia and New Zealand, and tourism accounts for about 40% of the economy. Another major contributor is agriculture, with products exported or sold to tourist resorts.

The disasters that have occurred in recent years have thwarted its growth. Visitor numbers have dwindled during the coronavirus pandemic, and have barely begun to recover before three major hurricanes in 2023 deal another blow. In May, the country's national airline collapsed.

Political uncertainty could derail the recovery

Vanuatu currently leads an interim government after President Nikinike Voruparavu dissolved Parliament in November, with Prime Minister Charlotte Salloway facing a vote of no confidence.

Salwai, now interim president, is Vanuatu's fourth prime minister in four years, as his predecessor was ousted in a vote of confidence in 2023 a month after taking office. Early elections are scheduled for January.

“This is one of the most volatile political systems in this part of the world,” said Riley Duke, a Pacific affairs analyst at the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank. He added that the political chaos had generated a “perpetual focus on the short term” and hindered some funders of much-needed development projects.

Part of a larger geopolitical contest

Vanuatu has become part of a broader strategic battle in the Pacific region in recent years as Western countries seek to counter China's growing influence. Australia remains Vanuatu's largest donor, but the government is increasingly looking to China to fund infrastructure and construction projects including work this year on a presidential palace.

In the process, it has amassed large loans, and was classified as at high risk of debt distress by the International Monetary Fund before this week's earthquake.

“There will be a campaign by the next government to secure additional funding, opening the door to more interest in external financing,” Duke said. “This clearly has secondary effects on geopolitics.”

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