A magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit just off the coast of Vanuatu in the southern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
A tsunami alert for the island nation was canceled less than two hours after the earthquake. A witness informed AFP that bodies had been seen in the city.
Katie Greenwood, the regional head based in Fiji of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, posted on the social platform X that "buildings have collapsed, and there are 6 confirmed dead and many injured."
Greenwood added that trained Red Cross volunteers were on the ground in Vanuatu and ready to assist affected communities with pre-positioned relief supplies.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 57 kilometers (35 miles) with the epicenter 30 kilometers (10 miles) west of Port Vila, the largest city in Vanuatu, a group of 80 islands with a population of around 330,000. The quake was followed by a magnitude 5.5 aftershock near the same location.
It was not immediately clear how much damage had been caused, but a video posted on social media appeared to show damaged buildings in Port Vila, including one that had collapsed onto several cars. Another seemed to show a building in the capital housing diplomatic missions - including those of the UK, France, and New Zealand - with some damage to its structure, such as bowed windows and debris fallen from walls to the ground.
Damaged building housing the embassies of the US, UK, and New Zealand in the capital of Vanuatu.AFP
Other photos and videos posted on Tuesday showed items and shelves fallen to the ground in stores and landslides that appeared to block some roads.
Vanuatu government websites were down after the earthquake, and phone numbers for the police and other public agencies were not connecting. The country's geological hazards agency and the prime minister's office social media channels had not been updated.
In the hours following the earthquake, the USGS stated that the tsunami threat had passed. The agency had previously warned of waves up to 1 meter (3 feet) above sea level.
Authorities in Australia and New Zealand, both located in the Pacific Ocean, said there was no tsunami threat to their countries.
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that according to their records, there were 37 New Zealanders in Vanuatu. The ministry did not provide details on the status of its citizens.