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Vanuatu

Vanuatu: Earthquake - NEOC Situation Report #7, 23 December 2024

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IMMEDIATE IMPACT:

• The majority of the damage from the earthquake occurred in Port Vila, Efate, with the main downtown area now closed to the public.
• Vila Central Hospital (VCH) has confirmed 14 deaths, while 8 survivors have been discharged from Vila Central Hospital
• Key infrastructure, including the Tagabe and Teouma bridges, sustained significant damage, with Tagabe bridge partially at risk, currently allowing only temporary access.
• Damage to Tagabe bridge, Teouma bridge and Blacksand bridge. Tagabe bridge has a high risk of collapse if heavy flow of water is experienced due to rainfall.
• There was also damage to power lines, the water supply, and two major water reserves in the Ohlen area, which supply Port Vila. Communication remains intermittently disrupted, and while Port Vila's main wharf and Lapetasi are operational, access is currently blocked due to a major landslide, with nearby villages and offshore islands also affected by minor landslides.