Vanuatu: Casualties and damage reported in Port Vila and surrounding areas following magnitude-7.3 offshore earthquake Dec. 17 /update 4

Casualties and damage have been reported in Port Vila and surrounding areas following a magnitude-7.3 offshore earthquake at around 12:47 Dec. 17. As of late Dec. 17, the International Federation of Red Cross Pacific has confirmed at least six fatalities and many others injured. Several buildings have collapsed in Port Vila, including a compound hosting a number of foreign consulates. A number of landslides have been reported in and around the city, including one near Port Vila's wharf, and several roads are blocked by landslides and other debris. The structure of the Port Vila hospital building has been impacted and triage tents have been set up outside the hospital. Bauerfield International Airport (VLI) is closed and there are unconfirmed reports of damage to the airport's runway. The country's two main water reservoirs have also been damaged. Power and communication outages are hampering response efforts and are delaying the confirmation of damage reports. It will likely take some time before the full impact of the earthquake's impact is known, especially in remote areas, and an increase in the casualty figures and further reports of damage are likely to be confirmed in the coming hours and days.

The earthquake's epicenter was in the Coral Sea, about 30 km (19 miles) west of Port Vila, at a depth of about 43 km (27 miles). Tsunami warnings were initially issued for coastal areas following the tremor but were rescinded within around two hours. However, the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department has issued a warning advising people to keep clear of the coastline through at least Dec. 18 as tsunami monitoring equipment is not functioning due to power outages.

At least 11 aftershocks between magnitude-4.5 and magnitude-5.5 have occurred since the initial earthquake as of late Dec. 17. Aftershocks are likely to continue over the coming days and further shaking may cause additional damage to weakened structures and power and water supply infrastructure. Disruptions to road travel may persist for several days as officials repair and clear blocked routes.