A powerful earthquake hit the Pacific island of Vanuatu on Tuesday, smashing buildings in the capital Port Vila including one housing the US and other embassies, with a witness telling AFP of bodies seen in the city, APA reports citing NDTV.
The 7.3-magnitude quake struck at a depth of 57 kilometres (35 miles), some 30 kilometres off the coast of Efate, Vanuatu's main island, at 12:47 pm (0147 GMT), according to the US Geological Survey.
The ground floor of a building housing the US, French and other embassies had been crushed under higher floors, resident Michael Thompson told AFP by satellite phone after posting images of the destruction on social media.
"That no longer exists. It is just completely flat. The top three floors are still holding but they have dropped," Thompson said.
"If there was anyone in there at the time, then they're gone."
Thompson said the ground floor housed the US embassy. This could not be immediately confirmed.
The United States closed the embassy until further notice, citing "considerable damage" to the mission, the US embassy in Papua New Guinea said in a message on social media.
"Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this earthquake," the embassy said.
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