Vanuatu earthquake. Death toll rises; VIDEO

 Vanuatu earthquake. Death toll rises.

Vanuatu reports 14 dead and hundreds injured in earthquake. More than a dozen people were killed in the 7.3 magnitude earthquake, but there is little information on further damage.

Vanuatu has been rocked by a series of aftershocks after a powerful earthquake struck the island nation. A powerful earthquake in Vanuatu has killed 14 people and the full extent of the damage is still unclear.

At lunchtime on Tuesday, a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck nearby Port Vila for 30 seconds, causing damage in the capital. The Vanuatu government confirmed the death toll at 14 and hundreds more injured, said Katie Greenwood, head of the Pacific for the Red Cross.

Vanuatu was rocked by a series of aftershocks after a powerful earthquake struck. Telecommunications disruptions following the quake made it difficult to confirm the extent of damage and casualties.

Footage and photos broadcast by local outlet VBTC and on social media reveal the devastation in Port Vila.

The worst hit was a building housing the US, UK, French and New Zealand diplomatic posts, with the lower floor of the US embassy collapsing with the upper floors.

"Flights have been suspended, communications have been disrupted, there is no water or electricity, we are isolated," Jean-Baptiste Jangen Wilmer, the French ambassador to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, posted on social media.

The New Zealand Defence Force is providing assistance as the death toll from the earthquake in Vanuatu rises. Emergency workers, rescue equipment and other supplies are being sent to Vanuatu. 

Where is Vanuatu?

Before gaining independence in 1980, Vanuatu, known as the New Hebrides, was jointly administered by France and the UK for 74 years. Today, Vanuatu is a republic with a non-executive presidency. The president is elected by parliament and serves a five-year term, along with the presidents of the regional councils.