A 7.3 magnitude earthquake has hit Vanuatu (Image: X)
A powerful magnitude 7.3 earthquake has hit Vanuatu capital of Port Vila causing “considerable damage” to some buildings, as injured people were rushed to hospital.
The quake happened at 12:47 local time, 18 miles west of Port Vila, at a depth of 57 km, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
This was followed by a 5.5 magnitude aftershock.
It triggered a tsunami alert for parts of the South Pacific island nation, but officials called off the warning less than two hours later at 2:14pm local time as the threat had passed.
Reports of widespread destruction began to emerge on social media in the hours after the quake, there are unconfirmed reports of at least one death.
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