WELLINGTON, New Zealand — In the aftermath of a devastating earthquake two days ago, Ivan Oswald and his team readied Nambawan Cafe for lunch service on Thursday, located on a picturesque stretch of Vanuatu’s coastline.
Instead of the typical lunch offerings, the menu was adapted to provide defrosted sausages for the array of emergency personnel who were searching through rubble for any survivors or the deceased after a powerful 7.3 magnitude quake rocked Port Vila, the nation’s capital, 48 hours earlier. Search operations were bolstered by specialists arriving from Australia, New Zealand, and France on Thursday.
While earthquakes are common in the South Pacific archipelago, which comprises 80 islands and is home to approximately 330,000 inhabitants, the intensity of Tuesday’s quake was unprecedented for the locals. The tremor originated 30 kilometers (19 miles) offshore and occurred at a depth of 57 kilometers (35 miles), with hundreds of aftershocks following in quick succession.
Currently, the exact number of casualties remains uncertain, and official reports are limited. Initially, the government confirmed 14 deaths, but by early Friday, it noted that only 10 had been verified by hospitals, while the death toll was anticipated to rise. Reports indicate that over 200 individuals have been treated for injuries, but this figure has not been updated since Wednesday. Additionally, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that nearly 1,000 people were displaced, a number that is likely to increase.
Telecommunications began to return on Thursday, albeit in a sporadic manner, following a near-total blackout caused by the quake. This restoration allowed Vanuatu residents to obtain information about the extent of the destruction and the number of individuals who were still unaccounted for. With Nambawan Cafe receiving power and having internet access, rescuers, tourists, and locals flocked to the cafe to charge their devices and seek out information about their missing relatives.
“We’ve had a few tears,” Oswald remarked, the cafe owner, “I can’t assist with the rescue efforts, but I can provide this support.”
The level of destruction became more apparent on Thursday, with Port Vila’s downtown area suffering the greatest impact. The busy hub filled with lunch shoppers on Tuesday saw significant damage, while some outer islands and villages near the quake’s epicenter experienced landslides. The infrastructure damage was vast, affecting hospitals, roadways, buildings, two major water reservoirs, and gas pipelines, with rescue efforts facing challenges due to limited accessibility.
A substantial landslide has blocked the sea port, causing delays in transporting essential goods and emergency personnel, according to the UN humanitarian agency. Although the airport was restricted to aid flights on Thursday, reports confirmed that the runway remained operational, and discussions regarding the resumption of commercial flights would take place on Friday. However, the threat of heavier landslides loomed as rain began to fall late Thursday. A low-pressure system threatening the region carries a low to medium risk of cyclones, and forecasts predict additional rainfall in the coming days.
This imminent weather could result in further landslides, erosion, and flooding in already at-risk areas, prompting officials to advise residents in hillside communities to evacuate. An urgent environmental assessment was deemed necessary to stave off a potential ecological catastrophe, the UN reported early Friday.
Relief agencies expressed their primary concerns over ensuring adequate drinking water and shelter for those unable to return to their homes. UNELCO, the primary utilities provider, estimated that it could take up to two weeks to fully restore water services, as reported by local channels.
The ongoing search for survivors and recovery operations centered around two collapsed buildings in the city center, with Australian search experts joining local teams who were frantically digging for those who may still be trapped amid the debris. After several dramatic rescues that lifted spirits on Tuesday and Wednesday, the atmosphere turned grim as hopes began to wane for those still unaccounted for. The exact number of individuals still inside the buildings—a garage and a surf clothing store—remains unknown. Among the deceased is a French national, Vincent Goiset, as confirmed by France’s ambassador to Vanuatu. Vanuatu officials also reported the deaths of two Chinese nationals.
The earthquake has dealt a significant economic blow as well. A building housing the embassies of multiple nations, including the United States, France, and New Zealand, was destroyed, but no casualties were reported. Military flights successfully evacuated 148 Australian nationals from Vanuatu late Wednesday, while many other foreign nationals awaited the resumption of commercial flights to depart the country. The quake, coinciding with the onset of the tourism season in this tourism-reliant nation, poses a serious threat to the economy, especially if the influx of tourists fails to materialize. Glen Craig, chair of the Vanuatu Business Resilience Council, expressed concern, stating, “We’ve had such bad luck,” citing three cyclones that ravaged the area in 2023 and the collapse of Vanuatu’s national airline in May. “We were just getting back on our feet and were really looking forward to a bumper summer.”
