Dec. 17 (UPI) — At least one person died when a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck the main South Pacific island of Vanuatu on Tuesday, triggering landslides, collapsing buildings and cutting power and communications.

A journalist based in the capital Port Vila told the BBC he saw “several people who were visibly seriously injured” in a triage station outside the emergency room at Vila Central Hospital, and police had confirmed one death.

Reporter Dan McGarry said he believed the quake was the strongest “in more than 20 years” and he expected the death toll to rise.

“The emergency services will be busy for a while. We have limited equipment and capacity here (in Vanuatu),” he said.

Footage shared on social media showed many injured people on stretchers waiting for treatment outside a hospital, more arriving on the backs of flatbed trucks or being carried by other people, and rescuers trying to reach collapsed buildings and vehicles crushed under buildings reach.

The diplomatic district of Port Vila on the island of Efate was badly affected. The US embassy there reported in an article

However, the damage forced the embassy to be closed until further notice.

“Authorities report an earthquake in Vanuatu, 23 miles from Port Vila, and subsequent aftershocks at 12:53 p.m. local time,” said a news release from the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 1,400 miles away.

“The US Embassy is hearing reports that flights to and from Vanuatu have been canceled. There are also reports of landslides in the Port Vila area. People are advised to avoid entering buildings as they may be damaged or unstable.”

US citizens requiring consular assistance have been asked to contact the US Embassy in Port Moresby.

The United States pledged to do everything in its power to help Vanuatu.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this earthquake, and the U.S. government will work closely with our partners in Vanuatu. We stand ready to assist the Government of Vanuatu upon request.”

Buildings of the British High Commission, the French Embassy and the New Zealand High Commission were also badly damaged.

Australia also offered help, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong describing the quake as “devastating”.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in Vanuatu following the devastating earthquake this afternoon. We stand ready to support Vanuatu while the extent of the damage is assessed. Vanuatu is family and we will always be there for each other in times of need,” she said in an interview post on X.

Qantas subsidiary Jetstar Airways said it had canceled its daily flight from Sydney to Port Vila.

“Due to earthquake activity in Vanuatu and reports of possible damage to Port Vila Airport infrastructure, our return flight between Sydney and Port Vila will not operate on Wednesday, December 18, 2024,” the budget airline said in a travel advisory.

The US Geological Survey confirmed that Tuesday’s quake had a magnitude of 7.3 and its epicenter was 18 miles west of Port Vila at a depth of 35.5 miles.

The South Pacific archipelago was hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in January 2023, 15 miles from Port Olry on the largest island of Vanuatu. This triggered tsunami warnings in nearby waters, but there were no reports of damage or casualties.

Vanuatu has a population of 280,000 across 80 islands and is highly vulnerable to earthquakes due to its location on the so-called Ring of Fire, the arc of tectonic faults that surrounds most of the Pacific Ocean. Seismic activity and volcanic eruptions occur here every day.