Rescuers in Vanuatu continued searching on Wednesday for people trapped under rubble a day after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit the capital, Port Vila, leaving 14 people dead and causing widespread damage to commercial buildings, embassies, and a hospital.
Over 200 people have been injured, with rescue efforts focused on two buildings that collapsed. Three people trapped in one of the collapsed buildings were able to communicate with rescuers. “We believe there are more people stuck inside,” Iavro said.
Footage shared on social media showed vehicles crushed under debris, boulders scattered across highways, and landslides near Port Vila’s international shipping terminal.
National broadcaster VBTC showed long lines of people waiting for fuel and essential supplies.
Michael Thompson, an Australian who runs a zip line adventure business in Vanuatu, shared that he had helped dig people out of the rubble overnight. “Three people have been removed alive, though one is in critical condition.
There have been incredible acts of bravery, with people entering dangerous, confined spaces to carry out rescues,” Thompson wrote on Facebook.
One woman rescued from the rubble later passed away. Power, water, and communications remain disrupted, as government and energy officials warned.
Triage tents have been set up outside Port Vila’s hospital to handle the large number of injured arriving.
The National Disaster Management Office reported that 10 buildings in Port Vila’s main town suffered major structural damage.
