Vanuatu earthquake: Australia’s Port Vila embassy evacuated amid earthquake terror

Dozens of people are feared dead and buildings, including one housing the New Zealand, Britain, France and the US embassies, have been destroyed after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Vanuatu.

The quake hit 29km west of the Pacific nation’s capital Port Vila on the island of Efate at a depth of 10km at 12.47pm Tuesday, local time.

It was followed by a 5.5 magnitude aftershock close by.

The ground floor of a building housing the embassies had been crushed under higher floors, resident Michael Thompson told AFP by satellite phone after posting images of the destruction on social media.

“That no longer exists. It is just completely flat. The top three floors are still holding but they have dropped,” Thompson said.

“If there was anyone in there at the time, then they’re gone.”

Thompson said the ground floor housed the US embassy. This could not be immediately confirmed.

“There’s people in the buildings in town. There were bodies there when we walked past.” Mr Thompson, who runs a zipline adventure business in Vanuatu, said.

A landslide on one road had covered a bus, he said, “so there’s obviously some deaths there”.

The quake also collapsed at least two bridges.

The New Zealand High Commission, housed in the same embassy building, suffered “significant damage”, a statement from Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ office said.

“New Zealand is deeply concerned about the significant earthquake in Vanuatu, and the damage it has caused.”

Dan McGarry, a Vanuatu-based journalist, said there was no doubt there had been casualties.

“There are buildings down here so I’m expecting the casualty figure to rise,” he said.

“I know of one fatality according to police stationed at Port Vila Central Hospital, and I saw with my own eyes three others on gurneys, several others walking around, walking wounded. I think it will probably be in the dozens, altogether dead and wounded.”

The earthquake also impacted communications, with AP reporting Government websites were offline in the immediate aftermath of the tremor along with local media outlets.

“There is limited connectivity through one of our telecommunications carriers, the other one is entirely offline and power is out through the entire capital,” Mr McGarry said.

The ABC has reported the Australian embassy building was evacuated in the wake of the natural disaster and that authorities were working to confirm staff were safe.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia was closely monitoring the situation and was ready to assist.

“Australians are thinking of our friends and neighbours in Vanuatu after the devastating earthquake that struck their home this afternoon,” he said in a statement on X.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to assist the people of Vanuatu in any way we can.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong added, “we stand ready to support Vanuatu, as the extent of the damage is assessed”.

“Vanuatu is family, and we will always be there in times of need,” she said in a statement on X.

In a further statement to reporters in Canberra, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the Government was aware of the serious threat to the “beautiful country” of Vanuatu.

“We are thinking of the wonderful people of Vanuatu, who are worried now, battening down the hatches, dealing with the consequences of an earthquake and this tsunami warning as well,” he said.

“This news is relatively new, but we know that the wonderful people of DFAT will provide the relevant advice when they can about Australians who may be caught there,” he added.

Vision of locals making their way to higher ground is being posted to social media, along with footage of destroyed structures and debris left after the earthquake.

A building that houses the diplomatic embassies of New Zealand, Britain, France and the US, the La Casa D’Andrea e Luciano, appears to have been extensively damaged.

Footage posted shows the building with smashed windows and collapsed concrete pillars. One post suggests the entire first floor had been wiped out.

Nibhay Nand, a Sydney-based pharmacist with businesses across the South Pacific, said he had spoken to staff in Port Vila who said most of the store there had been “destroyed” and that other buildings nearby had “collapsed”.

“We are waiting for everyone to get online to know how devastating and traumatic this will be,” he said.

A tsunami threat to Australia and New Zealand was cleared.

The earthquake occurred at a relatively shallow depth of 57km according to American earthquake monitors the United States Geological Survey. Smaller aftershocks, including the 5.5 magnitude tremor recorded, followed in the similar location.

The island nation lies on the Ring of Fire” a 40,000km seismically active arc around the rim of the Pacific tectonic plate.

“Vanuatu is situated, like New Zealand, on top of a subduction zone,” University of Auckland physics associate professor Kasper van Wijk said.

“This particular earthquake was shallow and close to Port Vila, so I expect there to be significant damage from the earthquake.”

DFAT is able to provide a wide range of support, subject to need, through emergency and development programs.

Australians in Vanuatu requiring consular assistance should contact the Australian Government’s 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 (within Australia) or +61 6261 3305 (from overseas).

— with AAP / AFP