The death toll from Vanuatu’s earthquake disaster continues to rise as multiple aftershocks follow.
The death toll has climbed to 14, and more than 200 hundred people have been hospitalised.
One Tuesday a major earthquake struck 30 kilometres of the west coast of Efate at a magnitude of 7.2 and a depth of 50km.
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Australian airlines have cancelled flights to Vanuatu. Qantas released a statement about two affected flights today.
“We’re closely monitoring the situation in Vanuatu following the earthquake earlier today (Tuesday 17 December 2024),” the statement says.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says search and rescue crews will be sent over from Australia.
“We will provide whatever assistance is required. And I say to the people of Vanuatu, you are family and Australia is here to help.”
A seismologist told The Conversation Venuatu can expect at least a few aftershocks in the range of magnitude 6. They also reported there could be ten times as many aftershocks in the magnitude 5 range and ten times as many again in magnitude 4, and so on.
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