Major quake crushes buildings in Vanuatu capital, bodies seen

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 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 pm, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

A 5.5 magnitude aftershock struck minutes later, followed by a string of lesser tremors over the following hours.