Vanuatu was hit by another earthquake, a magnitude 6.1 tremor on Sunday, just hours before the Australian government announced an additional $5m in aid.
The quake, which struck near capital Port Vila, caused significant shaking but no tsunami alerts and there were no reported casualties so far.
This comes after a more powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the capital on Tuesday, which killed at least 16 people and injured around 200.
Australia has flown over 500 people back to the country via military airlifts and reportedly more flights are planned. Efforts to restore commercial flights are underway, local officials said.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) flights have been returning Australian citizens from Vanuatu as part of the ongoing humanitarian mission in Port Vila. A total of 588 Australians have been brought to Brisbane on eight flights, with the final two flights scheduled for Sunday, Nine News reported.
Port Vila International Airport has also reopened for commercial flights after being closed due to earlier earthquake damage. Flights with Qantas, Virgin, and Jetstar, which were previously grounded, have now resumed to assist Australian passengers wishing to return home.
Qantas and Virgin resumed services from Port Vila to Brisbane on Sunday, while Jetstar will begin flights on the same route on Monday.
A major health crisis is emerging in Port Vila as aid workers estimated that 20,000 people in Vanuatu are without clean water. The United Nations estimates that around 1,000 people have been displaced by the earlier earthquake.
Australian citizens and permanent residents in Vanuatu are being urged to register with DFAT’s online portal (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) to receive important information and updates.
The death toll and number of injuries are expected to increase as search and rescue operations progress.
