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Download AudioThe NZ Defence Force has deployed two C-130 carrier planes to assist Vanuatu, which was devastated by a 7.3-magnitude earthquake yesterday.
The International Federation of the Red Cross says the death toll is unclear; however, government reports confirm 14 deaths.
The New Zealand High Commission building in the capital, Port Vila, has been extensively damaged, with two staff members unaccounted for.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Winston Peters says the ground floor of a building near the embassy collapsed.
So far, the staff are presumed safe, but the situation is constantly evolving.
“We just have to wait and try and find out as much as we can, and as soon as we get the C-130 on the ground, we’ll know far more,” says Peters.
One NZDF plane is conducting aerial surveys, with a second expected to land in Vanuatu by lunchtime.
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