Quake Wrecks Recently Opened US Embassy

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck off Vanuatu killed at least 14 people, injured hundreds more, and caused widespread damage across the South Pacific island nation, officials said early Wednesday. Frantic rescue efforts got underway after the quake hit Tuesday afternoon, and rescuers worked through the night, trying to reach people screaming for help from under the rubble. The earthquake hit at a depth of 35 miles and was centered 19 miles west of Port Vila, the largest city in Vanuatu, a group of 80 islands home to about 330,000 people, the AP reports. A tsunami warning was called off less than two hours after the quake, which was followed by large aftershocks.

The Red Cross said early Wednesday that 14 had died, citing government information. Widespread damage to telecommunications and other infrastructure impeded the release of official reports and phone service remained down. Clement Chipokolo, World Vision's country director for Vanuatu, said Vila Central Hospital was overwhelmed by the deluge of patients when he visited on Tuesday. "They definitely are not coping," Chipokolo told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The UN humanitarian office said access to the airport and sea port was "severely limited due to road damage."

Videos posted on social media show efforts through the night as rescuers try to reach people trapped in buildings, including a three-story structure in a busy downtown area that collapsed onto its lower floors. The building was full of lunchtime shoppers when the quake hit. A building housing a number of diplomatic missions in Port Vila—including those of the United States, Britain, France, and New Zealand—was significantly damaged, with a section of the building cleaving off and flattening the first floor. Windows were buckled and walls crumbled. The US Embassy's Facebook page said all staff were safe, but the building was closed until further notice. The office opened in July as part of a push by the US to expand its Pacific presence to counter China's influence in the region.

(More Vanuatu stories.)