PORT VILA, Vanuatu — A powerful earthquake hit the Pacific island of Vanuatu on Tuesday, smashing buildings in the capital Port Vila, including one used by foreign embassies, with a witness telling AFP of bodies lying in the city.
The 7.3-magnitude quake struck at a depth of 57 kilometers, some 30 kilometers off the coast of Efate, Vanuatu's main island, at 12:47 p.m. (0147 GMT), according to the US Geological Survey. A 5.5-magnitude aftershock struck minutes later, followed by a string of lesser tremors over the following hours.
