Magnitude 7.4 earthquake hits Vanuatu, one reported dead

17/12/2024 13:14

An earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck Vanuatu's capital Port Vila on Tuesday, damaging buildings and cars with at least one person reported killed.



Vanuatu state broadcaster VBTC showed footage of vehicles crushed in a building collapse on a street lined with retailers. The broadcaster reported one person had been trapped in a collapsed building.



Other footage posted on social media showed buckled windows and collapsed concrete pillars on a building hosting foreign missions in the capital, including the U.S., British, French and New Zealand embassies.



A spokesperson for New Zealand's foreign ministry said in a statement, "Our High Commission building, which is co-located with the United States, the French and the United Kingdom, has sustained significant damage."



The statement added, there were communications outages across the country.