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Major earthquake causes widespread damage and multiple deaths in Vanuatu

Major earthquake causes widespread damage and multiple deaths in Vanuatu

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A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck Vanuatu on Tuesday, occurring at a depth of 57 kilometers. The quake happened at 12:47pm AEDT, resulting in one reported fatality. Images of widespread damage have surfaced online, including collapsed buildings and landslides. Disruption to telephone and internet services was also reported.

Penny Wong
Australian Foreign Ministry
1. Vanuatu is family and we will always be there in times of need.
2. We stand ready to support Vanuatu, as the extent of the damage is assessed.
3. Obviously in Vanuatu there are Australians inevitably who either work there or are on holiday there.
Winston Peters
New Zealand First
1. Our High Commission building, which is co-located with the United States, the French and the United Kingdom, has sustained significant damage.
2. A New Zealand military surveillance plane is due to fly above Vanuatu this morning, to help assess the damage caused by the earthquake.
3. Our thoughts are with the people and authorities of Vanuatu.
4. New Zealand is deeply concerned about the significant earthquake in Vanuatu, and the damage it has caused.
Christopher Luxon
New Zealand Government
1. We are monitoring the developing situation closely and stand ready to help.
US Embassy
1. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this earthquake and the US government will work closely with our partners in Vanuatu.
US Geological Service
1. Tectonic plates probably developed very early in the Earth's 4.6-billion-year history and they have been drifting about on the surface ever since — like slow-moving bumper cars repeatedly clustering together and then separating.
Michael Thompson
Vanuatu Jungle Zipline
1. There's multiple buildings that have come down around town. There's a big rescue operation on the way to clear out people who are possibly alive in the building.
2. That no longer exists. It is just completely flat. The top three floors are still holding but they have dropped.
Clement Chipokolo
World Vision International
1. There's quite significant damage that has occurred. We observed as we drove around a number of building that were flattened completely. So we imagine that there are still some people that are under those buildings.
Dan McGarry
1. People in Vanuatu deal with natural disasters on a yearly basis. It's in our blood. We'll get through this as well, although not without some suffering.
2. Emergency services are going to be busy for a while. We have limited equipment and capabilities here [in Vanuatu]
3. There were several people there, three that I could see who were seriously injured, lying on gurneys, a great many others … walking around with minor injuries.
4. Bottom line: It's bad. People died, and many more were hurt. Some have lost their home, and many will find it hard to get back to work. Repairs will likely stretch for years, as they always do in the wake of disaster.

Major earthquake causes widespread damage and multiple deaths in Vanuatu

7.3 Magnitude Earthquake near Vanuatu

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