Attachments
Situation update
• Following the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Vanuatu, 30 kilometers west of the capital, Port Vila, on 17 December 2024, 14 fatalities were reported. Frequent aftershocks the following week were experienced, however no additional damage was reported.
• As of 24 December, 2,435 individuals remain temporarily displaced across a small number of evacuation centres and host families. Distribution of relief food items to both host families and evacuation sites is ongoing.
• The Bauerfield International airport, which suffered some damage to its terminal building, is now fully functioning. Some roads are still blocked in Efate, including access to the main commercial Sea Port.
• The central business district, highly important in Vanuatu’s tourist industry, remains closed, with access allowed only for emergency teams, resulting in income loss for affected populations.
• The State of Emergency (SoE) was lifted on 24 December. In accordance with the Disaster Recovery and Resilience Act, the recovery phase has officially commenced, with coordination now led by the National Recovery Committee (NRC) under the Prime Minister’s Office. Despite this, activities initiated or planned under the SoE will continue to be managed by the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO).
In Numbers
7.3 magnitude earthquake struck 30 km west of Efate, the main island of Vanuatu, on 17 December
5 WFP staff deployed in Vanuatu to support logistics, emergency telecommunications, food security, and emergency coordination
Mobile Storage Units (MSU) and Emergency Telecommunications equipment installed, supporting government authorities and humanitarian actors in emergency response
WFP is supporting the Vanuatu Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FSAC) in distributing relief food items to affected populations.
Highlights
• The WFP-led Emergency Telecommunications Cluster has deployed emergency telecommunications services and satellite connectivity equipment to support key government agencies and humanitarian actors. The equipment is now functioning, providing much needed connectivity to national responders.
• The Logistics Cluster supported NDMO in facilitating requests for assistance, clearing, and handing over relief items. A Mobile Storage Unit (MSU) has been assembled at the NDMO compound to serve as temporary office/clearing space while the main office building remains unsafe due to earthquake-related damage.
• WFP is supporting the Vanuatu Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FSAC) in distributing relief food items to displaced and host families.