Several dead and hundreds injured after the violent earthquake

The Australian Geosciences Authority and the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said several aftershocks followed the quake, and another 6.1-magnitude earthquake occurred early Wednesday.

Greenwood said Vanuatu's main hospital was damaged, and water supplies were damaged.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles confirmed that there were no casualties or serious injuries among Australians: “I think there are small scratches that are being dealt with now.”

Australian first responders from the Disaster Response Team arrived in Port Vila on Wednesday afternoon, as part of an immediate $2 million response, after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged assistance on Tuesday night.

Initial support includes a team of 64 people and two police dogs to assist in search and rescue operations. The Australian Defense Force also sent a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster III and a C-130J Hercules.

Australian soldiers arrive in Vanuatu on Wednesday, December 18.

“We send our deepest condolences in the wake of this terrible tragedy,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

“My message to the people of Vanuatu is that Australia is here to help. This immediate support package will ensure that people in desperate need get life-saving assistance.

A screenshot from a video uploaded to social media shows damage to a vehicle and building in Vanuatu after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday. Image source: @DisastersAndI/X

Trapped in buildings

Amanda Laithwaite said her husband was among rescuers searching for eight people who heard their screams inside a collapsed building.

Three people were pulled alive from the rubble overnight, according to her husband, Michael Thompson, who runs a Zipline adventure company.

“Three people were recovered alive and one was in a very serious condition…an amazing display of bravery as people entered confined spaces to perform rescue operations,” Thompson said in an update on Facebook.

All flights have been stopped

Vanuatu-based journalist Dan McGarry told The Associated Press that a “massive landslide” at the international shipping terminal would hamper recovery efforts. He added that the airport runway was also damaged.

Some Australian and Pacific airlines have canceled or grounded flights scheduled for Wednesday and later in the week, and are awaiting news on the airport's status.

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Virgin Australia has temporarily suspended all outbound commercial flights from Australia to Port Vila until Sunday, with repatriation flights placed on standby.

Solomon Airlines has canceled its flights to and from Port Vila until the end of Thursday, December 19.

Jetstar has canceled its services on Wednesday between Sydney and Port Vila.

Travelers who no longer wish to travel to Vanuatu may be eligible to rebook, cancel or exchange vouchers, with many airlines offering flexible arrangements for travel booked until 5 January.

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, one of the largest ships sailing in Australian waters, has canceled a scheduled visit to Port Vila on Wednesday. Instead, the ship was visiting another stop in Vanuatu, the mysterious uninhabited island, which was not affected.

Several Carnival cruise ships have canceled upcoming stops in Port Vila from Saturday to Monday, including P&O Pacific Encounter, P&O Pacific Adventure and Carnival Luminosa.

Embassies are damaged

A building housing a number of diplomatic missions in Port Vila – including those of the United States, Britain, France and New Zealand – was severely damaged, but most staff were reported safe.

New Zealand's Foreign Ministry said officials had identified all but two of its embassy staff. The Australian Foreign Ministry said its employees were fine.

Ring of fire

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

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake occurred 30 kilometers west of the coast of Port Vila and at a depth of 10 kilometers. The depth has since been adjusted to 57.1 km.

The disaster also occurred during a period of political turmoil in the Melanesian state.

Vanuatu's Prime Minister, Charlotte Salwai, dissolved Parliament last month, paving the way for early elections on January 14, but opposition MPs have mounted a constitutional challenge to the move.

Do you know more?

If you or someone you know has been affected by the Vanuatu earthquake and would be happy to be contacted, please email us.

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