BANGKOK — One Thai national has been confirmed dead and three others injured following a powerful earthquake that struck Vanuatu earlier this week, according to Thailand’s Foreign Ministry.
The 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit approximately 30 kilometers from Port Vila, the capital city, on the afternoon of December 17, followed by a 5.5 magnitude aftershock. The disaster caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure, triggering landslides and forcing the temporary closure of Port Vila International Airport due to runway damage.
Nigorndate Palangkul, Director-General of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry Spokesman, confirmed the casualties and expressed the ministry’s deepest condolences to the deceased’s family. The Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra, Australia, which oversees Vanuatu, has been in contact with the local Thai community since the incident occurred and is coordinating with the Department of Consular Affairs to assist the victim’s relatives.
“The embassy is working closely with local authorities to handle all necessary procedures,” said Mr. Palangkul. “We have also checked on the three injured Thai nationals, who fortunately sustained only minor injuries and are recovering well.”
The Thai community in Vanuatu consists of approximately 40 people, though several had already returned to Thailand for the year-end holidays. According to the Foreign Ministry, the remaining Thai residents currently have adequate access to food and water supplies.
The embassy continues to monitor the situation closely and stands ready to provide necessary assistance to Thai nationals affected by the disaster.
Vanuatu has declared a state of emergency following Tuesday’s 7.3-magnitude earthquake. The official death toll was revised down to nine, though it was expected to rise as people remained trapped in fallen buildings, a spokesperson of Vanuatu’s disaster management office said. About 200 people have been treated for injuries.
The earthquake hit at a depth of 57 kilometers (35 miles) and was centered 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of the capital of Vanuatu, a group of 80 islands home to about 330,000 people. A tsunami warning was called off less than two hours after the quake, but dozens of large aftershocks continued to rattle the country.
The Asia-Pacific head of the International Federation of Red Cross, Katie Greenwood, speaking to The Associated Press from Fiji, said it was not clear how many people were still missing or killed.
“We have anecdotal information coming from people at the search and rescue site that are fairly confident that unfortunately those numbers will rise,” she said.
The capital’s main medical facility, Vila Central Hospital, was badly damaged and patients were moved to a military camp. Clement Chipokolo, Vanuatu country director at the Christian relief agency World Vision, said health care services, already strained before the quake, were overwhelmed.
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