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Vanuatu

Vanuatu Earthquake: Flash Update No. 5, As of 21 December 2024 - 23:00 local time

Attachments

Highlights

  • The Ministry of Health has confirmed 12 fatalities and 210 injuries, with 11 surgical cases currently admitted to Vanuatu Central Hospital (VCH).
  • A total of 1,698 individuals have been temporarily displaced. Eleven evacuation centers are sheltering 1,206 people based on assessments, while others are staying with 31 host households.
  • The Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT)’s Pacific Humanitarian Air Service (PHAS) flight landed in Port Vila today, bringing surge teams from UN agencies and humanitarian partners, along with relief items as part of the humanitarian cargo.
  • The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) is fully operational in its temporary location, with national cluster response efforts ongoing, supported now by PHT and UNDAC surge personnels on the ground.
  • Vanuatu Central Hospital (VCH) is urgently requesting coordinated surge support and the acquisition of essential medical supplies to address critical needs.
  • Port Vila International Airport is scheduled to officially reopen on Sunday, 22 December, with commercial flights set to resume.

Situation Overview

The situation in Vanuatu remains critical following the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck on December 17, 2024. A state of emergency is still in effect, and the seven-day public curfew from 6 PM to 6 AM in the Nambatu area will end by 24 December. The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD) and the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) continue to urge the public to remain vigilant as aftershocks persist.

Infrastructure damage is extensive, with landslides obstructing road access in Efate and the outer islands. The Port Vila International Airport is scheduled to reopen to commercial flights tomorrow, as the runway infrastructure has been certified safe and aviation fuel has been confirmed as uncontaminated. However, road access to the seaport remains blocked.

Telecommunication services are being restored gradually, however needs still remain. Domestic mobile phone communication is functioning but experiences intermittent disruptions, while Vodafone's international phone services (voice and SMS) remain stable. Internet services, however, are still down in Efate, complicating coordination efforts. Most banking services in Port Vila have been restored, although some ATMs are still non-operational due to a lack of power access. Commercial services remain limited, with only one supermarket in the Nambatu area having reopened.

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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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