(Reuters) – An earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila on Tuesday, with the United Nations reporting six unconfirmed deaths and that two reservoirs and a hospital had been damaged.
State broadcaster VBTC showed footage of vehicles crushed under the debris of collapsed buildings and boulders strewn across a highway. Drone footage showed landslips near a shipping terminal.
Communications networks on the Pacific archipelago were down, New Zealand said.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said there was significant damage and Australia was preparing to deploy assistance including urban search and rescue and emergency medical teams on Wednesday.
Port Vila’s international airport was closed, Vanuatu’s High Commission in Canberra said.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimated 116,000 people had been affected by the earthquake. It said there were six unconfirmed deaths and damage to the two main water reservoirs.
