Update : 14 Killed due to the Earthquake in Vanuatu
The quake struck 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) west of the Pacific island nation’s capital at about 57.1 kilometers deep shortly after noon, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). It was followed by a 5.5-magnitude aftershock.
There have been 14 aftershocks at or above 4.0 magnitude on Tuesday, according to the USGS.
With communications still patchy, the official death toll was not immediately known. But at least 14 people were reportedly killed and 200 have been treated for injuries, according to Katie Greenwood, a Fiji-based regional head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, citing the government.
China’s ambassador to Vanuatu told state broadcaster CCTV two Chinese citizens died in the quake.
The initial quake caused buildings to collapse, crushing cars, with some feared trapped under the rubble. Landslides occurred near an international shipping terminal at Port Vila, blocking access, according to Reuters.
Hours after the quake hit, crowds began to form outside a hospital waiting to be treated, according to the Associated Press, citing footage from national broadcaster Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation, whose website had gone offline.
