Strong 7.3 magnitude earthquake hits Vanuatu

The US embassy in Port Vila is among the damaged buildings, according to photographs posted online.

Michael Thompson, director of the Vanuatu Jungle Zipline adventure company, said communications in the area had been “really patchy” and that he had set up a Starlink network near his home so the public could access the internet.

“There’s multiple buildings that have come down around town. There’s a big rescue operation on the way to clear out people who are possibly alive in the building,” he said in a video posted to Facebook.

“Most of the communications have gone.”

USGS reported at least four aftershocks around Port Vila – with magnitudes ranging from 4.7 to 5.5 – in the two hours after the first earthquake.

Authorities in neighbouring New Zealand and Australia said there was no tsunami threat for their countries.