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Official Death Toll Stands At 12 In Vanuatu With 80,000 Affected People
Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific Editor
The number of official deaths from Vanuatu's 7.3 magnitude quake now stands at 12.
This has been confirmed by the Vila Central Hospital, according to the latest situation report from the Vanuatu Disaster Management office.
Earlier unofficial reports had placed the death toll at 16.
The hospital said 80,000 people had been impacted by the disaster with the response effort hampered by damages to core infrastructure including the country's telecommunications network.
More than 210 people have been injured so far with eight people rescued by joint police operations.
Dozens of officers from bi-lateral and multi-lateral partners, UN agencies and non-government organisations are supporting local authorities working around the clock to reach those most affected.
A state of emergency for the worst hit areas remains in effect with a nightly curfew.
Officers in the joint police operations are forcibly relocating people deemed to be living in high-risk areas or damaged and dangerous buildings.
Ten buildings have been severely damaged - mostly in the CBD - as well as the Vila Central Hospital.
Several crucial bridges in the capital have been damaged with the Tagabe bridge in particular at risk of collapse if there is any significant flooding.
Two major water reserves at Ohlen which supply Port Vila have been completely destroyed and the public water network is still being assessed.
Power is also still being restored to parts of the city and the telecommunications network is still not back up to full capacity.
Clearance work is underway for the massive landslip at the Ports Area. The port facility remains closed for all incoming vessels.
Meanwhile commercial airline services resume today with hundreds of Vanuatu seasonal workers who had been stranded since the quake on Tuesday due back in the country today.
- Commercial flights resume for quake-hit Vanuatu
- Vanuatu snap election pushed back after earthquake
- Vanuatu earthquake: Last repatriation from Port Vila, water in short supply
- Quake-shocked New Caledonian children repatriated from Vanuatu
- 'They're struggling': The 3300 Ni-Vanuatu in New Zealand
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