Earthquake rocks Vanuatu: Death toll rises amidst destruction
After a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 struck Vanuatu on Tuesday, rescuers are tirelessly searching for people trapped under the rubble. The disaster has claimed the lives of at least 14 people and injured over 200, reports the Polish Press Agency, citing Reuters and local medical services.
The earthquake's epicentre was located approximately 31 kilometres from the country's capital, Port Vila, at a depth of 56 kilometres below the earth's surface.
The tremors caused significant destruction, damaging numerous structures such as commercial buildings, a hospital, and the embassies of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and New Zealand, according to Vanuatu's Police Commissioner, Robson Iavro.
The Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Charlot Salwai, declared a state of emergency and imposed a seven-day curfew in the most affected regions. He also appealed to the international community for support in the face of the tragedy.
The national broadcaster VBTC released footage showing the dramatic consequences of the earthquake: crushed vehicles under the rubble of collapsed buildings, boulders strewn across roads, and landslides near the shipping terminal.
Tents have been set up in front of the hospital in Port Vila, where the injured are receiving first aid.
Throughout the night, the area was struck by multiple aftershocks, the most powerful reaching a magnitude of 6.1. To facilitate the arrival of medical and rescue aircraft, the international airport in Port Vila has been closed to commercial flights for 72 hours, according to Jason Rakau, Director General of Airports Vanuatu.
Catastrophic earthquake in Vanuatu. Over 115,000 people affected
Vanuatu, located on an archipelago of 80 islands, is home to about 330,000 people. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimated that the earthquake affected 116,000 people, including 36,000 residents of Port Vila.
