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2024 Port Vila earthquake

Coordinates: 17°41′10″S 168°02′02″E / 17.686°S 168.034°E / -17.686; 168.034
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2024 Port Vila earthquake
Strong ground motion map by USGS
2024 Port Vila earthquake is located in Vanuatu
2024 Port Vila earthquake
UTC time2024-12-17 01:47:26
ISC event642646721
USGS-ANSSComCat
Local date17 December 2024 (2024-12-17)
Local time12:47:26 VUT (UTC+11)
Duration30 seconds
Magnitude7.3 Mw
Depth57.1 km (35 mi)
Epicenter17°41′10″S 168°02′02″E / 17.686°S 168.034°E / -17.686; 168.034
TypeOblique-slip
Areas affectedPort Vila, Vanuatu
Max. intensityMMI IX (Violent)
Tsunami25 cm (10 in)
Aftershocks14+
Casualties14 fatalities, 200 injuries

At 12:47:26 VUT (01:47:26 UTC) on 17 December 2024, a Mw7.3 earthquake struck Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu.[1] At least 14 people died while 200 others were injured. Extensive damage occurred in Port Vila and surrounding areas. The earthquake also generated a 25 cm (10 in) tsunami.[2]

Tectonic setting

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The primary tectonic feature of the Vanuatuan archipelago is the New Hebrides Trench, the convergent boundary of the Australian and Pacific plates. Along the Wadati–Benioff zone, earthquake activity has been observed as shallow, intermediate, and deep-focus events at depths of up to 700 km (430 mi). Volcanic activity is also present along this north-northwest trending and northeast-dipping oceanic trench.[3]

While much of the island arc experiences intermediate-depth earthquakes along a Wadati–Benioff zone that dips steeply at 70°, the area adjacent to the d'Entrecasteaux Ridge does not. There is a corresponding gap in seismicity that occurs below 50 km (31 mi) where it intrudes into the subduction zone from the west. According to the NUVEL-1 global relative plate motion model, convergence is occurring at roughly 8 cm (3.1 in) per year. The uncertainty, which also affects the Tonga arc, is due to the influence of spreading at the North Fiji Basin. Of the 58 M7 or greater events that occurred between 1909 and 2001, few were studied.[4]

Earthquake

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The earthquake struck some 30 kilometres (19 mi) off the coast of Efate.[5] The United States Geological Survey (USGS) placed the earthquake at Mw 7.3 with a depth of 57.1 kilometres (35.5 mi). The focal mechanism indicated oblique-normal faulting. Together with the hypocentral depth, this implied faulting within the subducting Australian plate. The USGS proposed two finite fault models: one depicting rupture on a northwest-trending fault with a shallow west-southwest dip, and the other on an east-northeast fault with a near-vertical dip. Both rupture models indicated a maximum slip of 3 m (9.8 ft).[6] Shaking was estimated to have lasted for around 30 seconds.[7] At least 14 aftershocks were recorded,[8] with the strongest measuring Mw 5.5.[9]

Impact

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At least 14 people were killed, including two Chinese nationals,[10] while 200 others were injured.[11] Six deaths were caused by a landslide and four more were killed by a building collapse.[12] Bodies were seen lying on the streets of Port Vila,[1] where at least 10 buildings collapsed, including some in a pancaking manner.[8] A building housing the United States, United Kingdom, French and New Zealand embassies and high commissions collapsed on its ground floor.[13][14][15] The United States and Australia said that their diplomatic personnel in Vanuatu were in safe condition.[16][17] Another building was partially destroyed, while severe landslides occurred, including some that blocked roads and buried a wharf in the city. Two bridges also collapsed.[18][19] A "massive" landslide struck the international shipping terminal of Port Vila, while the runway of Bauerfield International Airport was damaged,[16] leading to the cancellation of multiple flights.[20] Another landslide buried a bus, resulting in several deaths.[5] Two reservoirs and a hospital were also damaged.[21]

A 25 cm (9.8 in) tsunami was observed.[22] Websites of Vanuatuan government agencies went offline, while communication lines for police and related authorities were rendered unserviceable.[9] The Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation went off air due to damage to Broadcasting House.[23] Despite connectivity issues, people were able to go online through Starlink.[24] The Vanuatu Red Cross Society building was also damaged.[13] Power and water outages occurred in the city.[18]

The USGS estimated that the earthquake could cause economic losses measuring between 1–10% of Vanuatu's GDP.[13] The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimated that 116,000 people had been directly affected by the earthquake.[25]

Response

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A tsunami warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre covering Vanuatu, Fiji, the Kermadec Islands, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Wallis and Futuna,[9] with waves expected to reach 1 m (3 ft 3 in).[26] This was lifted on 14:14 VUT.[20] The Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office told residents of coastal areas to flee to higher ground.[18] Authorities in the country were placed on high alert with one local journalist telling FBC News that the Vanuatu Mobile Forces (VMF) and government emergency workers were immediately mobilized to assist those affected, adding that "government officials are dealing with several causalities."[27] A mass casualty triage centre was set up outside the emergency ward of Port Vila Central Hospital.[18]

Officials are currently assessing the extent of the destruction and prioritizing rescue efforts.[23] A state of emergency and a curfew was declared by Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, who also requested international assistance.[11] Australia deployed rescue and medical teams to Vanuatu.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Vanuatu rocked by major earthquake". dw.com. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  2. ^ Needham, Kirsty; Hsu, Cordelia (18 December 2024). "Vanuatu earthquake death toll rises to 14 as rescuers search for survivors". Reuters. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  3. ^ Yeats, R. (2012), Active Faults of the World, Cambridge University Press, p. 478, ISBN 978-0521190855
  4. ^ Frolich, C. (2006). Deep Earthquakes. Cambridge University Press. pp. 399–401. ISBN 978-0805836523.
  5. ^ a b "Powerful earthquake hits Pacific island of Vanuatu, bodies seen in street". France 24. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  6. ^ ANSS. "M 7.3 – 30 km W of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 2024". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
  7. ^ "Why earthquakes are more common in places such as Vanuatu". ABC Australia. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "Australia sends 'immediate' search and rescue assistance to Vanuatu following powerful earthquake". ABC Australia. 17 December 2024. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  9. ^ a b c "Magnitude 7.4 earthquake strikes near Vanuatu capital". Al Jazeera. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  10. ^ Needham, Kirsty; Hsu, Cordelia (18 December 2024). "Vanuatu earthquake death toll rises to 14 as rescuers search for survivors". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Live: Large 7.3 magnitude earthquake strikes near Vanuatu". Radio New Zealand. 17 December 2024. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  12. ^ "NEOC Situation Report No.1". National Disaster Management Office. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  13. ^ a b c "Vanuatu 7.3 magnitude earthquake: First reports of damage". Radio New Zealand. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  14. ^ Pal, Alasdair (17 December 2024). "Magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Vanuatu damages US embassy". Reuters. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  15. ^ "US embassy in Vanuatu suffers 'considerable damage' as powerful quake strikes Pacific nation". CNN. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Magnitude 7.3 earthquake causes widespread damage in Pacific island nation of Vanuatu". AP News. 17 December 2024. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  17. ^ "US Says All Staff In Quake-hit US Embassy In Vanuatu 'Safe'". Barron's. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  18. ^ a b c d Dingwall, Doug; Sas, Nick; Dziedzic, Stephen (17 December 2024). "Fears death toll could rise from Vanuatu's magnitude-7.3 earthquake near Port Vila". ABC Australia. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  19. ^ "Bodies Seen In Vanuatu Capital After Major Earthquake: Witness". Barron's. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  20. ^ a b "Strong 7.3 magnitude earthquake hits Vanuatu". BBC. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  21. ^ "6 unconfirmed deaths as 'violent' 7.4-magnitude quake rocks Vanuatu". Free Malaysia Today. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  22. ^ "TSUNAMI MESSAGE NUMBER 3". Tsunami.gov. 17 December 2024. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  23. ^ a b "Broadcasting disrupted as Vanuatu faces earthquake fallout". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  24. ^ "Fijians struggle for updates as Qereqeretabua pledges continued efforts to get information". FijiVillage. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  25. ^ "Buildings 'pancaked' in Vanuatu as 7.4 magnitude earthquake rocks Pacific nation". South China Morning Post. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  26. ^ "Major quake crushes buildings in Vanuatu capital, bodies seen". France 24. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  27. ^ "One fatality confirmed in Vanuatu; Fiji keeping tabs". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
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