BBC News Online: World: Asia-Pacific

Earthquake shakes Vanuatu

Access to the city's port was blocked and a bridge linking the capital with the rest of the island of Efate was badly damaged.

The quake, measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, struck at 0430 (1730GMT).

Scientists said the epicentre was located under the seabed, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Port Vila at a depth of about 33km (20 miles).

'Frightening'

Witnesses said the main shock lasted more than one minute, with aftershocks still being felt more than six hours later.

One resident in Port Vila said: "It was quite frightening."

"Rocks the size of buildings have come crashing down into the water," Mark Neil-Jones told Australia's ABC radio.

Police in Port Vila reported some people being admitted to hospital with broken bones but there had been no deaths.

However, a spokesman said the authorities had not heard yet from Vanuatu's outer islands.

Vanuatu's population of more than 190,000 people is spread among a group of about 80 islands 2,500 km (1,550 miles) north-east of the Australian coast.

The islands lie on the so-called Ring Of Fire, aeries of volcanic arcs and oceanic trenches which encircle the Pacific basin.