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At least 14 people have been killed by a major earthquake in Vanuatu,
with the full extent of the damage still not clear.
At lunchtime on Tuesday, a 7.3 magnitude tremor rattled nearby Port
Vila for 30 seconds, causing destruction in the capital.
Katie Greenwood, the Red Cross' Pacific head, said the Vanuatu government had confirmed a death toll of 14 and hundreds of injuries.
Vanuatu Government is reporting 14 confirmed fatalities and 200 treated for injuries at main hospital
in Port Vila. Local humanitarian network activated and @vanuaturedcross leads
the Shelter response with Government and support from @ifrc
- Katie Greenwood (@KatiegIFRC) December 17, 2024
Footage and photos broadcast by local outlet VBTC and on social media lays bare the devastation in Port Vila.
A building housing the US, UK, French and New Zealand
diplomatic posts was among the worst hit, with the bottom floor of the US
embassy crushed by the above floors.
Remarkably, the US and other nations have reported all of their staff to be
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.
Très fort tremblement de terre au Vanuatu, ambassade détruite (déchirée en 2, rez-de-chaussée
ambassade écrasée), personnel sain et sauf mais nombreuses victimes dans le
pays, vols suspendus, comm coupées, ni eau ni électricité, organisons secours .,
num urgence à venir pic.twitter.com/IZjr2VjVGu
- Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer (@jeangene_vilmer) December 17, 2024
In a VBTC broadcast, caretaker Prime Minister Charlot
Salwai issued a state of emergency for seven days, and instituted a curfew - except for essential services - from 6pm to 6am.
Telecommunications failures after the earthquake have made confirming the
scale of the harm and damage difficult.
Those that were able to communicate with the outside world were largely able to do so through Starlink, including journalist Dan McGarry.
"I know of one fatality according to police stationed at Port Vila Central Hospital, and I saw with my own eyes three others on gurneys ... I'm expecting the casualty figure to rise," he told AAP about three hours
after the earthquake.
Mr McGarry has documented landslips around the capital, including a major
blockage of a key road near the country's chief international port,
in addition to destruction of buildings.
Many photos on social media show collapsed buildings, one which has crumpled cars underneath.
"People died and many more were hurt. Some have lost their home, and many will find it hard to get back to work. Repairs will likely stretch for years, as they always do in the wake of disaster," Mr McGarry posted on X.
"But people are pulling together as only Vanuatu knows how. We will get through this. We always do."
More than 80 islands make up Vanuatu, and it is also unclear
how the 350,000-strong population is faring in towns
and settlements outside the capital.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called the disaster a "dreadful tragedy," and with acting Pacific
Minister Matt Keogh, said Australia would be rushing to its
neighbour's aid.
"Australia stands with the people of Vanuatu ... we are family and we will always be there in times of need," the pair said in a statement.
"The Australian government is preparing to deploy immediate assistance ... including urban search and rescue and emergency medical teams.
"We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to provide further assistance to the people of Vanuatu
as the extent of damage becomes clear."
The Australian Government is preparing to deploy immediate assistance to Vanuatu from tomorrow, including urban search and rescue and emergency medical teams.
We're closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to provide further assistance to the people of Vanuatu.
- Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) December 17, 2024
Mr Jeangene Vilmer said France was working with Australia and New Zealand to co-ordinate the disaster response.
New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said a military surveillance plane would fly over Vanuatu on Wednesday to assess damage, with further support to follow when the airport opened.
The disaster has also 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 the move.
While a first case was dismissed by the Supreme Court last week, former prime minister Ishmael Kalsakau announced they are appealing that judgment - which was due to be heard before Christmas.
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Briton Matthew Smith, the partner of former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries, leaves court in Central Islip, New York
on December 3, 2024
The partner of the ex-CEO of the Abercrombie and Fitch clothing line pleaded not guilty Tuesday in US federal court to
charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution and was released on $10 million bond.
Briton Matthew Smith, the ex-CEO Mike Jeffries and their
fixer James Jacobson allegedly used a "casting couch" ploy to groom aspiring male models to attend sex
parties at which victims were plied with alcohol and drugs.
After his arrest in October in Florida with Jeffries, Smith was held in custody
in New York. Smith appeared in court Tuesday in Central Islip on Long Island, to the east of New York City.
Smith pleaded not guilty and was released on a $10 million bond
put up by Jeffries and his family, said a statement
from the US attorney's office for the eastern district of New York.
An AFP photographer saw Smith leave the courthouse with what
appeared to be a large electronic surveillance bracelet attached to his ankle.
Le Britannique Matthew Smith, compagnon de l'ancien patron de l'enseigne américaine de
mode Abercrombie & Fitch, Michael Jeffries, sort du tribunal fédéral
de l'est de l'Etat de New York, à Central Islip, le 3 décembre 2024, après avoir plaidé non coupable de trafic
sexuel et proxénétisme
Another hearing is scheduled for December 10 for Smith, Jeffries and Jacobson.
Jeffries, 80, was released on a $10 million bond in late October.
Jeffries, who served as CEO of Abercrombie
and Fitch from 1992 to 2014, is accused of creating and maintaining a ring that recruited young men to have sex with him and Smith.
Prosecutors allege that between December 2008
and March 2015 Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson used
a combination of "force, fraud and coercion" to traffic men in a sprawling prostitution enterprise.
Charging documents detail 15 anonymous victims, but
prosecutors suggest the scale was probably much larger and have appealed for witnesses and victims to
come forward.
Prosecutors say young men were taken to the New York home of Jeffries and Smith and
to hotels in Britain, France, Italy, Morocco to have sex with them.
Jeffries faces the prospect of life in prison if convicted.
Jacobson also pleaded not guilty to the same charges as the other defendants and was released
on half a million dollars bond in October. |
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