Rohan Kay in Bangkok
The Chief Executive Officer of the Vanuatu Red Cross said today his disaster response team had played a leading role in providing relief to those injured and left in shock by the earthquake that rocked the capital of the south Pacific island nation earlier today. Aftershocks and tremors were still being recorded almost 20 hours later.
"We met all our objectives and played a leading role in the response (to the earthquake)," said Godwin Ligo.
An earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale shook the coastal city of Port Vila, Vanuatu, at 4.30am local time (5.30pm GMT). The quake set off landslides and damaged buildings, reported the BBC. No deaths were reported.
A disaster response team of 11 Red Cross volunteers trained in first aid and disaster response treated 190 people injured and counselled a further 100 who were in shock following the quake and aftershocks.
Peter Pamara, the Vanuatu Red Cross's disaster response team coordinator, said people were in shock not just from the quake, but from the belief that the quake would trigger a tidal wave that would slam into the city.
"People living in low-lying areas saw the level of the sea go down. This prompted them to expect a tsunami," said Mr Pamara. About 500 Port Vila residents fled to higher ground in response, he said.
The volunteers accompanied the fleeing residents and encouraged them by afternoon to return to their homes, following an assessment from the government's department of geology and mines that there was no risk of a tsunami.
The volunteers treated minor injuries such as cuts and broken bones, helped people return to their homes and distributed tents and tarpaulins to those who did not want to return to their houses.
Mr Godwin said the Vanuatu Red Cross was also asked by the government's National Disaster Council to contact its branches in the outer islands of Vanuatu. No injuries or damager were reported.
"The response today by the Vanuatu Red Cross was very successful," said Mr Ligo. "We calmed people down, assured them that the danger was over and helped them return to their homes We also worked closely with the government of Vanuatu to ensure the disaster was brought under control."
The Vanuatu Red Cross and their partners, the National Disaster Council and department of geology and mines, will continue to monitor the situation. The Red Cross disaster response volunteers will continue to encourage people to return to their homes.
Witnesses quoted by the BBC said the main shockwave lasted more than one minute. The epicentre, scientists said, was located under the sea about 50km (30 miles) west of Port Vila at a depth of 33km (20 miles).Vanuatu consists of a chain of 80 islands some 1,550 miles northeast of the Australian coast.
Related links
Vanuatu earthquake: Information Bulletin no. 1 (3 January 2002)
More news and reports on Federation operations in the Pacific
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