Magnitude 7.3 earthquake hits Pacific island nation of Vanuatu

Magnitude 7.3 earthquake hits Vanuatu, causing damage in Port Vila; tsunami threat passes, Red Cross ready to assist.

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Tuesday (December 17, 2024) just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean, the USGS said.

An earlier tsunami warning for the island nation was called off less than two hours after the quake.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 57 km and was centered 30 km west of Port Vila, the largest city in Vanuatu, a group of 80 islands that is home to about 330,000 people. The jolt was followed by a magnitude 5.5 aftershock near the same location.

It was not immediately clear how much damage was caused, but a video posted on social media appeared to show crumpled buildings in Port Vila, including one that had collapsed onto cars. Another apparently depicted a building in the capital that houses some diplomatic missions to Vanuatu — including those of Britain, France and New Zealand — with some damage to its structure, including buckled windows and debris that had crumbled from walls to the ground.

Other photos and videos posted on Tuesday (December 17, 2024) showed items and shelves that had tumbled to the floors of shops and landslides that appeared to block some roads.

Vanuatu government websites were offline in the aftermath of the quake and phone numbers for the police and other public agencies did not connect. Social media channels for the country's geohazards agency and the Prime Minister's office have not been updated.

In the hours after the quake, the USGS said a tsunami threat had passed. The agency had earlier warned of waves of up to 1 meter (3 feet) above the tide level.