A magnitude-6 earthquake has struck the Vanuatu islands early this morning less than 24 hours after a magnitude-7.3 quake near the capital Port Vila yesterday. 

Rescue efforts are urgently underway to find survivors trapped under the rubble from yesterday’s disaster, which left at least 14 people dead and caused widespread destruction across the Pacific Island nation. 

Rescue mission footage has revealed scenes of devastation including crushed vehicles, landslides, and injured victims being carried or stretchered to safety. 

Critical infrastructure, including communication lines and drinking water reservoirs, have been badly damaged as rescue teams scramble to find survivors. 

Port Vila Hospital has been seriously damaged, and tents have been set up outside amid an influx of patients and fears the death toll is expected to rise.

A building housing the United States, United Kingdom, French and New Zealand diplomatic posts was among the worst hit, with the bottom floor of the US embassy crushed by the above floors. 

The situation has been compounded by a magnitude-6 earthquake recorded by Geoscience Australia this morning. 

‘Immediate response efforts are ongoing as humanitarian partners and authorities work to overcome access and communication challenges,’ the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a situation update. 

Remarkably, the US and other nations said all of their staff are safe.

Others have not been so lucky.

‘Many victims in the country, flights suspended, communications cut, no water or electricity, we are organising relief,’ French ambassador to Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, Jean-Baptiste Jeangene Vilmer, posted on social media.

More than 116,000 people are estimated to be affected by the quake, with Australia sending search and rescue teams, along with medical personnel to help with recovery efforts. 

Jo-Anna and Tim Kafer, Australian residents living in a remote village in Vanuatu, shared their firsthand account of yesterday’s earthquake. 

‘We’ve lived here for six years and this was by far the biggest earthquake we’ve had,’ Jo-Anna told News Breakfast. 

‘I was watching my house jumping up and down, I stood there in shock and then I thought to dive under the table which is a strong table.

‘And then I watched as my bookcase, which is chained to the top of the wall, danced away on the ground…and everything just fell to the ground.

Her husband was outside when the earthquake struck.

‘I heard this noise and I thought it was like an earthquake coming and next, all the ground is doing that we believe wobbly waves,’ he said.

‘I had trouble standing up and walking towards the house was very, very difficult.

‘All I could hear was the house banging and crashing.’ 

Expat Damien Bird, who manages a resort in Port Vila with his wife Caroline, told News Breakfast he was in a shopping centre when the first earthquake struck.

‘Cars were jumping, shelves were falling down. I ran out along with all the other patrons in the supermarket,’ he said.

‘The ground was almost a wave-like motion and no comms.’

Vanuatu’s caretaker Prime Minister Charlot Salawi declared a seven-day state of emergency on Wednesday morning. 

It includes a curfew from 6pm to 6am, except for essential services. 

Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is assisting Australians in Vanuatu.

‘DFAT is aware of a number of Australians present in the affected region and is providing consular assistance to those in need,’ a statement from the minister’s office said.

‘Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Australian Government 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre (+61 6 261 3305 from overseas or 1300 555 135 in Australia).’

The disaster has occurred at a moment of political turmoil in the Melanesian country.

Mr Salwai dissolved parliament last month, setting the stage for a snap election on January 14, only for opposition MPs to mount a constitutional challenge to his move.

While a first case was dismissed by the Supreme Court last week, former prime minister Ishmael Kalsakau has announced they are appealing that judgment – which was due to be heard before Christmas.