LONDON — The US Embassy in Port Vila was damaged on Tuesday when a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu.
The quake struck 2 miles west of the capital shortly before 1 p.m. local time, the US Geological Survey said. A series of aftershocks followed, but no tsunami warning was issued.
The embassy, in the capital on the island of Efate, “suffered extensive damage in the earthquake and is closed until further notice,” US officials said. an alert. All workers in the building when the quake struck were safe and accounted for, officials later updated on social media.
A general view of a building housing the embassies of the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand after a powerful earthquake struck Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, on December 17, 2024.
STR/AFP via Getty Images
“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this earthquake, and the US government will work closely with our partners in Vanuatu,” he said. update he said
Michael Thompson, an Australian who owns Vanuatu Jungle Zipline in Port Vila, told ABC News that he had not experienced an earthquake as powerful as Tuesday’s in the two decades he has been in the country.
The roads were impassable, meaning Thompson couldn’t travel to get his wife home, he said.
“There’s been massive earth movement, you can see parts of buildings, cranes overturned, 20/30 tonne stones lying on the road,” he said.
Landslides were reported in the Port Vila area, the embassy said. Thompson added that rescuers have told him that, without equipment, they have not yet been able to free people trapped in the rubble in downtown Port Vila. “I could still hear their screams, there’s no way to free them,” he said.
This photo shows a general view of a badly damaged building housing the embassies of the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand after a powerful earthquake struck Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, on December 17, 2024.
STRAFP via Getty Images
“People are advised to avoid entering buildings as they may be damaged or unstable,” the embassy alert said.
ABC News’ Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
