Magnitude 7.3 earthquake hits Pacific island nation of Vanuatu

The USGS says a magnitude 7.3 earthquake has struck just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Tuesday (December 17, 2024) just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean, the USGS said.

A tsunami warning for the island nation was called off less than two hours after the quake.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 57 km and was centered 30 km west of Port Vila, the largest city in Vanuatu, a group of 80 islands that is home to about 330,000 people. The jolt was followed by a magnitude 5.5 aftershock near the same location.

Extent of damages yet to be known

It was not immediately clear how much damage was caused as phone lines and government websites remained down and official channels have not been updated, but reports of widespread destruction began to emerge on social media hours after the quake.

A Red Cross spokesperson in Fiji said workers on the ground were reporting significant damage. Video shared by the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation showed crowds outside the Vila Central Hospital appearing to lift injured people onto stretchers.

Phone numbers for the police, the hospital and other public agencies did not connect. There were no reports of casualties.

A video posted on social media appeared to show crumpled buildings in Port Vila, including one that had collapsed onto cars. A Red Cross spokesperson in Fiji said the head of the aid agency’s Vanuatu office had reported widespread damage before communications were cut off.

A building housing a number of diplomatic missions in Port Vila — including those of the United States, Britain, France and New Zealand — was significantly damaged, New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry said. Officials were in the process of accounting for New Zealand High Commission staff, a spokesperson said.

A video posted to social media depicted the building with some damage to its structure, including buckled windows and debris that had crumbled from walls to the ground. Other photos and videos showed items and shelves that had tumbled to the floors of shops and landslides that appeared to block some roads.

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

“We haven’t heard at the moment about any casualties, but I will be shocked if we don’t hear that bad news coming through from Port Vila at some point,” she said.

In the hours after the quake, the USGS said a tsunami threat had passed. The agency had earlier warned of waves of up to 1 meter (3 feet) above the tide level.

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

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

Published - December 17, 2024 10:17 am IST