Strong earthquake of magnitude 7.3 shakes Vanuatu

A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.3 occurred near Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, damaging buildings and other infrastructure.

The earthquake occurred at 12:47 local time (01:47 GMT) at a depth of 57.1 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

It briefly triggered a tsunami warning for parts of the Pacific island nation, but authorities said at 2:14 p.m. local time that the threat had passed.

The extent of the damage is still unclear, but there are unconfirmed reports of at least one death.

Dan McGarry, a journalist living in Port Vila, said police at Vila Central Hospital told him one person had died.

In a post on X, McGarry said he saw three “seriously injured” people on hospital stretchers awaiting treatment. The earthquake was “the biggest I’ve seen in more than 20 years,” he added.

Images on social media show collapsed buildings, cars hit by fallen panels and furniture scattered on the ground inside homes. Residents report that communications are spotty.

The US embassy in Port Vila is among the damaged buildings, according to photographs posted online.

U.S. officials said the building suffered “considerable damage” and will remain closed until further notice.

“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this earthquake and the US government will work closely with our partners in Vanuatu,” the embassy in Papua New Guinea said in a statement.

Michael Thompson, director of the Vanuatu Jungle Zipline adventure company, told the AFP news agency that he saw bodies lying in the streets.

“There are several buildings that have collapsed in the city. There is a large rescue operation underway to remove people who are possibly alive in the building,” Thompson said, in a separate video posted on Facebook.

“Most communications have disappeared.”

The USGS reported at least four aftershocks around Port Vila, with magnitudes ranging between 4.7 and 5.5, in the two hours after the first earthquake.

Authorities in neighboring New Zealand and Australia said there was no tsunami threat to their countries.

Australia also said it “stands ready to support Vanuatu while the extent of the damage is assessed.”

“Vanuatu is a family and we will always be there in times of need,” Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong wrote in X.

Vanuatu, a low-lying archipelago of about 80 islands, is located in a seismically active area and susceptible to frequent large earthquakes and other natural disasters.