Following Tuesday’s strong 7.3-magnitude earthquake that shook the Pacific island, the United States closed its embassy in Vanuatu, citing “considerable damage” to the mission, according to the embassy in Papua New Guinea.
“The US embassy in Port Vila has sustained considerable damage and is closed until further notice,” the message posted on social media stated. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this earthquake.”
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 12:47 p.m. at a depth of 57 kilometers, about 30 kilometers off the coast of Efate, the major island of Vanuatu.
Following the publication of pictures, resident Michael Thompson called AFP via satellite phone to report that the ground level of a building that housed the US and French embassies had been crushed beneath upper stories.
