by Martin Haffner Associate 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…
by Martin Haffner Associate Editor Boarding has started for New Zealand’s last repatriation flight from Port Vila after Tuesday’s magnitude 7.3 earthquake. Passengers heading home on the RNZAF Boeing 757 on Saturday afternoon include stranded tourists of various nationalities, returning disaster response officials and media. Staff at the Port Vila’s Bauerfield International Airport International Airport…
by Martin Haffner Associate Editor Quake Rocks Pacific Island Vanuatu, Deaths Feared; U.S. Embassy Damaged Port Vila, Vanuatu – October 15, 2023 A powerful earthquake struck the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu late Sunday night, triggering widespread panic and significant damage across the region. Preliminary reports indicate that the magnitude 7.2 quake, centered approximately 20…
by Martin Haffner Associate Editor Voters have until 5pm today (03 December) to register to vote in the Snap Election on 14 January 2025, including the by-election for the Northern Ward Constituency of the Port Vila City Council (PVCC). Citizens who have recently turned 18, those who are 18 but have not yet registered, and…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Vanuatu’s caretaker Foreign Minister Matai Seremaiah has stated that regional labor mobility programs are affecting the local kava industry. He noted that the influx of Ni-Vanuatu workers taking seasonal jobs abroad has diminished the local workforce available for kava farming. “Farmers need assurance of a market to encourage planting,” he…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer The Speaker of Parliament in Vanuatu has approved two motions aimed at the removal of both the president and the prime minister of the republic. Vanuatu is experiencing significant political instability, having seen four prime ministers elected and ousted in the last four years due to votes of no confidence,…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department (VMGD) and the Vanuatu Klaemet Infomesen blong Redi, Adapt & Protekt (VanKIRAP) have created six new provincial community climate centers, with plans for three additional locations. These centers will obtain crucial weather data from the VMGD, which will then be translated into local dialects…