9 Dead in Vanuatu Earthquake in the South Pacific

At least nine people have died as a result of a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck near the island nation of Vanuatu in the South Pacific on the 17th (local time).

EPA Yonhap News

According to AP News and other sources, the Vanuatu government’s disaster management department initially reported 14 deaths on the day, but a few hours later, hospital officials confirmed the death toll as nine. However, government officials said the number of fatalities could rise as people remain trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

The earthquake occurred at 12:51 p.m. on the 17th, about 30 km west of Port Vila. The quake caused damage to commercial buildings, embassy offices, and hospitals in Port Vila.

Authorities are currently conducting rescue operations using various equipment. Many areas in Port Vila are without electricity, and relief organizations are concerned that drinking water supplies will soon run out. Some damage to the port and airport is also expected to complicate the delivery of foreign aid supplies.

Vanuatu, made up of 80 islands, has a population of approximately 330,000. The country is located in a geologically active region where the Indo-Australian Plate moves beneath the Pacific Plate, causing frequent earthquakes of magnitude 6 or higher.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates that about one-third of Vanuatu’s population, approximately 116,000 people, have been affected by the earthquake.