A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck just off the coast of Vanuatu on Tuesday, causing widespread panic and reports of injuries as unconfirmed casualties began to surface. The powerful quake, which hit at a depth of 57 kilometers (35 miles), was centered 30 kilometers (18 miles) west of Port Vila, the nation’s largest city.
Following the initial tremor, a 5.5 magnitude aftershock was recorded near the same area. Authorities initially issued a tsunami warning, but it was lifted less than two hours later.
In the aftermath, communications remain severely disrupted, with phone lines down and government websites inaccessible, hampering efforts to assess the full extent of the damage. Eyewitness reports on social media and intermittent phone calls described widespread destruction, including reports of collapsed buildings and people trapped inside structures in Port Vila.
Videos shared by the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation showed crowds gathering outside hospitals as injured individuals arrived for treatment. However, police, hospital, and emergency contacts were unreachable for official updates.
A Red Cross spokesperson in Fiji confirmed that the organization’s Vanuatu office reported significant damage before communications were cut off. Social media footage showed scenes of crumpled buildings, with one structure appearing to have collapsed onto parked cars.
While no official casualty figures have been released, the full impact of the quake remains unclear as authorities work to re-establish communication and gather information from affected areas. Vanuatu, a Pacific island nation comprising around 80 islands and home to approximately 330,000 people, lies along the seismically active “Ring of Fire,” making it prone to earthquakes.
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