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LONDON — The U.S. Embassy in Port Vila was broken on Tuesday as a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu.
The embassy, which is within the capital on the island of Efate, “sustained appreciable harm through the earthquake and is closed till additional discover,” U.S. officers mentioned in an alert. All staffers who had been within the constructing on the time of the quake had been secure and accounted for, officers mentioned in a later replace on social media.
A basic view of a severely broken constructing housing the embassies of the USA, United Kingdom, and New Zealand after a robust earthquake struck Port Vila, the capital metropolis of Vanuatu, on Dec. 17, 2024.
STR/AFP through Getty Pictures
“Our ideas are with everybody affected by this earthquake, and the U.S. authorities will work carefully with our companions in Vanuatu,” the replace mentioned.
The earthquake struck about 2 miles west of the capital simply earlier than 1 p.m. native time, the U.S. Geological Survey mentioned. A sequence of aftershocks adopted, however no tsunami warnings had been issued.
“The U.S. Embassy is listening to stories that flights to and from Vanuatu are canceled,” the embassy mentioned within the alert “There are additionally stories of landslides within the Port Vila space.”
This photograph reveals a basic view of a severely broken constructing housing the embassies of the USA, United Kingdom, and New Zealand after a robust earthquake struck Port Vila, the capital metropolis of Vanuatu, on Dec. 17, 2024.
STRAFP through Getty Pictures
“Persons are suggested to keep away from getting into buildings as they could be broken or unstable,” the alert mentioned.
The embassy was opened in July, Matthew Miller, a State Division spokesperson, mentioned on the time.
ABC Information’ Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
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