On December 17, 2024, at 12:47 PM local time, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Port Vila, Vanuatu, with the epicenter located 30 kilometers west of the city at a depth of 57 kilometers. The earthquake has resulted in 14 fatalities, 265 injuries, and displaced over 2,400 individuals across evacuation centers and host households to date. Approximately 80,000 people have been affected, with extensive infrastructure damage reported, including to roads, water reservoirs, and telecommunications systems. Aftershocks and heavy rains from a tropical low have further complicated response efforts, increasing the risks of landslides and building collapse.
Mobilizing the Private Sector to Support Humanitarian Response
The Vanuatu Business Resilience Council (VBRC), a member of the OCHA-UNDP Connecting Business Initiative, is leading the private sector’s response to the earthquake. VBRC has provided immediate needs assessments to the Minister of Climate Change and the Deputy Prime Minister, conducted damage assessments, and facilitated critical support. This includes securing refrigerated containers for Vila Central Hospital and Starlink equipment to restore communications for the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO).
Immediate response:
- VBRC is coordinating with telecommunications companies, Interchange Cable, Digicel, and Vodafone to restore connectivity, with Australian support requested for specialized equipment. VBRC is also prioritizing banking services by working on ATM functionality, monitoring branch reopenings, and communicating updates to the public.
- Supermarkets gradually reopened, with the ABM chain resuming operations on December 20 and smaller stores operational for the past 48 hours, providing essential food and water to affected communities.Â
- VBRC has led efforts to restore commercial services, clear blocked roads, and support the recovery of critical utilities like water and power in collaboration with partners like UNELCO.Â
- Neighboring Fiji Business Disaster Resilience Council (FBDRC) is coordinating private sector in-kind contributions to support Vanuatu’s recovery efforts.
Recovery:
- VBRC and Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (VCCI) jointly launched a live business status database to support economic recovery database. Despite setbacks such as major physical damage and loss of either substantial equipment or stock (or both), many businesses have resumed operations, including key hospitality establishments critical to economic recovery. The VBRC urges local and international support to assist businesses in rebuilding and sustaining their operations.Â
- The central business district has sustained significant damage, and full assessments are pending. Looking ahead, efforts will focus on collaborating with the Government and the Recovery Task Force to rebuild Port Vila into a stronger, modern, and vibrant city, a process expected to take years. During this time, the priority will be maintaining essential services with minimal disruption.Â
- VBRC with the Government of Vanuatu facilitated the process and announced the approval of the Special Category Visa programme to address the specialized workforce gaps critical for accelerating recovery. The visa programme allows existing licensed businesses to recruit technical experts for reconstruction. Key features include no application fees, online application system (starting from 6 January 2025), only 1-3 days of processing time, and visa period extending up to 12 months.Â