7.4 magnitude earthquake shakes Vanuatu and damages several buildings, including the US and French Embassy

The earthquake was recorded at 12:47 p.m. (local time) about 30 kilometers west of the coast of the capital of Vanuatu, Port Vila. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 57 kilometersreports EP.

At the moment, a balance of victims or damages is unknown, but several witnesses have told the AFP agency that there are corpses in the streets.

The US diplomatic delegation “has suffered considerable damage and has been closed until further notice.” “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this earthquake and the United States Government will work closely with our partners in Vanuatu,” reads a statement from the Embassy in Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea, which defends the interests of the aforementioned countries. islands and the Solomon Islands.

USA opened its Embassy in Vanuatu this summer as part of a recent increase in its diplomatic presence in the Peaceful as it competes with China for strategic influence in the region.

Initially the tsunami risk alert, but subsequently the Pacific tsunami warning center canceled the alert and warned that small fluctuations in sea level could occur in some coastal areas near the epicenter of the earthquake.

The New Zealand authorities, through the Minister of Civil Defense, Mark Mitchell, have indicated through their profile on the social network

Earthquakes are common in this low-lying archipelago with about 320,000 inhabitants. The country is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of ​​intense seismic and volcanic activity.

Vanuatu is one of the countries most exposed to natural disasters such as earthquakes, storms, floods or tsunamis, according to the World Risk Report.