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Vanuatu announced on Saturday that it would lift the suspension of commercial flights the next day to revive its vital tourism industry, days after a violent earthquake that killed at least 12 people.
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December 21, 2024 – 06:36
(Keystone-ATS) A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of this Pacific archipelago on Tuesday, causing landslides and the collapse of buildings in Port Vila, the capital.
At least 12 people, including one of French nationality, died, according to local government figures relayed Friday evening by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Asia-Pacific. The earthquake also damaged the small island country's water reserves, knocked out the telephone network and suspended activity in the capital's port.
The airport authorities, however, announced in a press release “the reopening of Port Vila International Airport to commercial flights tomorrow (Sunday)”. Tourism is vital for the archipelago of some 320,000 inhabitants, contributing directly or indirectly to more than half of its economic activities, Glen Craig, president of the Vanuatu Business Resilience Council, explains to AFP.
“Localized damage”
“The earthquake was obviously terrible but the damage was localized. Life continues as usual for 99% of people here and in the many villages outside Port Vila,” he assures. “It’s so important that we don’t have an economic disaster after this.”
The earthquake forced 1,043 people to leave their homes, writes OCHA Asia-Pacific in its latest report, reporting significant needs for “electricity, drinking water, food, hygiene products, sanitation and shelter” . “Authorities have blocked access to the central business district of Port Vila, declaring it a no-go area for the public until engineers' assessments are completed,” OCHA adds.
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