Cries for help could still be heard on Wednesday morning, local time, from the rubble of what was once a three-story house in the capital Port Vila.
Throughout the night, around 80 people – police, medical personnel, rescue workers, and volunteers – had used everything from excavators to hammers and concrete saws to try to reach those buried in the earthquake.
We got out three people who were trapped. Unfortunately, one of them did not survive, says Vanuatu-born Michael Thompson to AFP via satellite phone.
Buried under the rubble
More are believed to be trapped under the collapsed house.
There are tons and tons of rubble on top of them. And two supporting concrete beams have fallen like pancakes. They have obviously been lucky to end up in some kind of cavity, says Thompson.
The powerful quake, which also triggered landslides, was registered three miles west of Vanuatu's capital Port Vila just before 3 am on Tuesday morning Swedish time. 14 people have been confirmed dead and around 200 have been injured.
Widespread destruction
The destruction is widespread in the nation, which consists of around 80 islands and has a population of around 330,000.
At least ten large buildings and three bridges suffered extensive structural damage in the quake. Port Vila has power outages and a lack of water, as two large water reservoirs were completely destroyed.
The hospital in Port Vila was damaged in the quake, and tents have been set up outside to handle the influx of patients.
Furthermore, there are significant disruptions to internet and telephone coverage, making it unclear what the situation is like outside the capital area. Many are struggling to contact their relatives.
Katie Greenwood, head of the Red Cross's operations in Asia and the Pacific, tells AP that it is unclear how many are missing.
We have anecdotal information from people working with search and rescue operations who are fairly convinced that the death toll will unfortunately rise, she says.
Sending aid
Contact has still not been established with coastal areas near the quake's center, according to Greenwood. It remains to be seen whether the destruction in Port Vila is "just the tip of the iceberg, or if it is the iceberg itself", says Greenwood.
Australia is sending rescue personnel and medical staff to Vanuatu, the country's government announced on Wednesday morning. New Zealand is also on its way with a rescue team.
