GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
National Disaster Management Office
Phone: +678 22699/ +678 33366 VoIP: 5353 Email: [email protected]
Private Mail Bag 9107, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Web: www.ndmo.gov.vu
NEOC SITUATION REPORT
D i s a s t e r Ty p e :
Earthquake
Situation Report # :
D a t e :
0 3
19 December 2024
Provinces Affected:
SHEFA
Reporting Period:
18 December (1600Hrs) to 19 December (1600Hrs), 2024
SITUATION OVERVIEW:
7 . 3 Magnitude 1251 HRS Occurrence time
80,000 Estimated Affected Population
Earthquake Location: Latitude: 17.7 Degree South,
Longitude: 167.8 Degree East
(34 Km West of Efate and 150Km West of Erromango)
Confirm source: Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department
(VMGD)
• A State of Emergency is declared throughout the worst affected areas of Vanuatu on the
17 of December 2024. This declaration of State of Emergency is for a period of 7 days
from the date on which the order is made.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT:
• Most of the damage in Port Vila, Efate.
• Main downtown Port Vila, Efate closed to the public.
10 confirmed deaths by Vila Central Hospital (VCH) and the number is expected to
increase.
Over 200 injured treated at the main hospital (VCH) and numbers expected to increase
• Many buildings sustain major structural damage:
Over 10 building in Port Vila town damaged including – Billabong Building, (US
Embassy building, New Zealand High Commission building, UK Embassy) Wong
store building, Vila Central Hospital (VCH)
Search and rescue in damaged buildings is still ongoing.
• Damage to Tagabe bridge, Teouma bridge and Blacksand bridge. Tagabe bridge has a
high risk of collapse if heavy flow of water is experienced due to rainfall.
• Damage to power lines and public water supply in the urban area.
Iwo major water reserves in Ohlen area which supplies water to Port Vila are totally
destroyed and will need reconstruction, assessment of water network is ongoing
Mobile phone communication functional with intermittent disruptions.
Ports of Entry – Port Vila main wharf (Lapetasi) is closed due to major landslide.
Nearby villages near Efate and off-shore islands experienced landslides
GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
National Disaster Management Office
Phone: +678 22699/ +678 33366 VolP: 5353 Email: [email protected]
Private Mail Bag 9107, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Web: www.ndmo.gov.vu
IMMEDIATE NEED:
• Medical supplies and repairs to damage medical structures
• Mobile Emergency Medical Teams
• Search and Rescue Teams and heavy machinery for cleaning landslides and collapse
buildings
• Safe drinking water and Jerry Cans.
SECTOR UPDATES
NEOC
• NEOC coordinates with Shefa Provincial Government Council through Area
Administrators to conduct Community Assessment and Area Council Assessment.
• Coordination with Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities (MIPU), Joint Police
Operation Center (JPOC), Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (DUAP), and
Municipal on assessment of collapse buildings and enforce restrictions with support from
surge capacity from French Engineers and Australian Defense Force.
WASH Cluster
• Wash Cluster Operations Center was activated as of yesterday, 18th December 2024
(1300HRS)
• Rapid Assessment conducted at Mele Area up to Korman Area, to identify water
accessibility through the UNELCO concession areas.
Assessment highlights:
Tagabe Area to Freshwota water has been restored
Downtown area, Number 2, Number 3 Area to Pango water has been restored
Number 2 Lagoon to Beverly Hills water supply has been restored
• Supplied 2 water bladders (6000L capacity) to Vila Central Hospital
Supplied 2 Water Tanks (10000L capacity) to Aviation Limited.
• Supported water tracking sourced from Teouma area, extracted from underground to
supply water to Port Vila Central Hospital, prioritizing the maternity ward and operation
theatre yesterday, 1 8 December.
• UNELCO confirmation today, full restoration of water supply to Vila Central Hospital.
• Water trucking from Teouma for distribution of water filled Jerry Cans to Ifira Island
providing water assistance to 300 households.
Logistics Cluster
• 1 Helicopter Puma assessed the international airport runway yesterday and continues to
provide aerial surveillance to assess the landslides.
• Logistics assisted the Australian Defense Force and NZ Defence Force to move their
heavy duty equipment to Vanuatu Mobile Force barracks.
: Supplied fuel for Join Police Operations Center, Vanualu Marie Shipping Aurority s
and Customs Department & Inland to support the operations
• Provided backup generator to Civil Aviation Authority to support electricity at the airport
GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
National Disaster M a n a g e m e n t Office
Phone: +678 22699/ +678 33366 VolP: 5353 Email: [email protected]
Private Mail Bag 9107, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Web: www.ndmo.gov.vu
Bauerfield airport fuel supply facility 100% operational. Fuel reserve sufficient to cover
domestic, international and humanitarian flights
Health Cluster
• Health Cluster through Global Respond HELPR-1 has completed assessments in 21
communities in Epi, Tongoa, Tongariki, Buninga, Emae, Makira and Mataso.
Overall, no major damage to infrastructure, no reported casualties from
community members.
Risk of water contamination and water borne disease at Matangi and
Kurumambe in Tongoa.
– Landslides have destroyed main gardens on Mataso island with risk of food
shortages in the coming weeks.
• Eight (8) affected health facilities, in and around Port Vila, suffered minor damages, but
are functional. These facilities are now operational and open for outpatients.
• WASH is an issue in health facilities in Port Vila due to shortage of water.
• Starlink internet services deployed in VCH, Health Emergency Operations room, and
WHO to improve communication and strengthen recovery coordination.
Emergency & Telecommunication Cluster (ETC)
• Power outage at Prima DC caused internet disruption in Efate due to damaged backup
batteries causing connectivity disconnection to submarine cable.
: Repair faled pe, no wakage end anal rar cousina ste me hairie experine.
• Proximity to Prima River poses a serious water contamination risk, requiring urgent
environmental assessment.
• Radio Vanuatu – FM100 fully functional
Education Cluster
• Education and Training (MoET), in collaboration with partners, is actively preparing the
school infrastructure assessment plan.
• Additionally, education materials are prepositioned and ready for release, including 12
tents and materials to support approximately 2,000 primary school children and 1,000
preschool children.
• Schools are currently closed for the holidays. Structural assessments are required before
the resumption of classes to ensure safety.
• The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), in collaboration with partners, is actively
preparing the school infrastructure assessment plan.
• Response plan is being developed to address immediate and long-term education
n e e d s .
Displacement Evacuation Center Management (DECM) Cluster
• 947 persons displaced from Blacksands Zones 2 to 5. Displaced persons are hosted in
• Immediate Needs:
Immedia, Bed, Kawerki and 4 Kona in host households and churches
Water: Only rainwater and well accessible now.
Food (for large host households and evac centres).
• Shelter: Tarps and tents needed for displaced households.
GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
National Disaster Management Office
Phone: +678 22699/ +678 33366 VolP: 5353 Email: [email protected]
Private Mail Bag 9107, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Web: www.ndmo.gov.vu
Hygiene and sanitation (limited toilets, bush toilets being used).
Gender and protection: Majority of persons displaced are vulnerable groups
including women, pregnant mothers and lactating mothers, children, elderly and
people with disabilities. Need solar lights for night time security due to large
populations residing within host household yards.
Health: need health checks in this area and EMT – some minor injuries, diabetics
without medication and
• Community-based assessments completed in Manples, Kaweriki, Britano, 4 Kona and
Melemaat.
• Planned Community assessments in Mele Waisisi (for detailed counting of displaced),
Eratap AC, Erakor AC, Pango AC, Freswota, Ohlen, Anamburu, No. 2 Lagoon and other
areas not yet assessed
• DECM Cluster will need to assess the need to open evac centre sites for a large number
of displaced populations or alternative shelter solutions (tarps / tents for household-
based shelter).
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
AUSTRALIA
• 61 member DART/USAR team personnel with equipment and 4 canines arrived today to
help with search and rescue efforts
6 member AUSMAT with medical supplies to assist medical team
• Australia Assists deployed 2 advisers to provide surge support to NDMO
NEW ZEALAND
• Assisted in aerial assessment with NDMO and supplied Satellite Imagery and also
deployed surge medical officials to assist in search and rescue operations.
FRANCE
• Assisted with erial assessment and personnel with specialy for medical, satelite imagery
CHINA
• Arranged in-country engineers to conduct assessments on buildings that have been
severely damaged by the Earthquakes.
PHE 9107
Port Vito
DIS
ป อ ก ม ส ร
Tel: 22689 Egov – 5353
OFFICE
Mr. Jimmy Naura