A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, on Tuesday has claimed at least 14 lives, with fears the death toll will rise significantly, Al Jazeera reports.
The quake caused widespread devastation, reducing buildings to rubble, triggering landslides, and knocking out power and communication networks.
Rescuers are racing against time to locate survivors trapped beneath the debris. Katie Greenwood, Asia Pacific head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, reported 14 confirmed deaths and 200 injuries being treated at Port Vila’s main hospital.
Dan McGarry, a journalist with over 20 years of experience in Vanuatu, warned that the death toll is likely to increase. “It is a reasonable expectation that it is going to rise, and the government expects that the casualty figure will rise,” McGarry told Al Jazeera. Rescue teams are currently searching for those potentially trapped under collapsed structures.
Australia and New Zealand have responded swiftly, deploying medical and rescue teams to assist with relief efforts. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that approximately one-third of Vanuatu’s 335,000-person population has been affected by the quake’s impact.
Adding a glimmer of hope amidst the tragedy, Michael Thompson, an Australian citizen residing in Vanuatu, reported on Facebook that he and others had rescued three people alive from the rubble overnight.
The earthquake’s damage is extensive, impacting vital infrastructure and key buildings. A complex housing diplomatic missions from Britain, France, New Zealand, and the United States suffered significant structural damage, with a section collapsing and the first floor being completely flattened.
