Fire and Emergency USAR team responds to call for help from Vanuatu

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Vanuatu at a depth of 10 kilometres, 30 kilometres west of Port Vila, Efate at 2:47pm New Zealand time on Tuesday, 17 December 2024.

This was followed by the Vanuatu Government declaring a 7-day state of emergency and curfew.

On Wednesday, 18 December, we sent a 40-member Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team to Vanuatu to assist. The mission was part of a New Zealand-led humanitarian effort by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to support the Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office (NDMO).

Team Leader for the deployment, Ken Cooper, said the team was made up of a diverse group of people from across Fire and Emergency with a wealth of experience and skills in aiding community recovery. They were supported by another group of experienced and committed personnel from our National Coordination Centre (NCC) at NHQ who also communicate with families of those deployed.

‘The focus for the team in Vanuatu was on structural damage assessments, geotechnical evaluations, and supporting critical infrastructure recovery. Areas of operation included Port Vila and surrounding sectors.

‘We completed over 900 structural damage assessments and made priority recommendations to NDMO. We used UAVs (drones) for detailed mapping and assessments, which gave us greater situational awareness and ability to plan.

‘Our structural engineering assessments identified significant hazards, such as landslips and unstable buildings, which helped inform evacuation and recovery efforts.’

Ken said the team faced environmental and logistical challenges, including ongoing aftershocks, inclement weather, and limited communications. However, coordination with MFAT and local agencies ensured steady progress.

‘We also maintained strong collaboration with our international partners, including the Australian USAR team from Queenslnd. Working closely with our partners highlights the strength of coordinated disaster response and the shared goal of resilience and recovery.’

Our team safely returned to New Zealand by 27 December 2024, with equipment and personnel fully demobilised on 29 December.