Powerful 7.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Vanuatu, Causing Extensive Damage

SEAToday.com, Wellington - A powerful magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck just 30 km off the coast of Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila, on Tuesday (12/17), triggering landslides and flattening multiple buildings, including several embassies.

The earthquake was followed by a magnitude 5.5 aftershock near the same location, and tremors continued throughout the afternoon and evening local time. A tsunami warning was also issued but called off less than two hours after the quake.

Videos shared on social media show many large buildings collapsed in Port Vila, some of them crashing cars. Housing for a number of diplomatic missions in Port Vila, including those of the United States, Britain, France, and New Zealand, were severely damaged, the New Zealand Foreign Ministry said.

Currently, there are 48 Indonesian citizens in Vanuatu. The Indonesian Embassy in Canberra is trying to contact officials and contact points in Vanuatu to get news and their conditions.

The full extent of the damage is still unclear as the disaster has cut off power and mobile networks across the country.